


Levi x Reader: The Girl Beyond the Walls

by Experibear



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Blood and Violence, Developing Relationship, F/M, Fantasy, I'm stupid and can't think of more but will add as it goes on, Levi Ackerman's a Softie, POV Levi Ackerman, Reader is an Absolute Badass, Reader-Insert, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Younger Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), supernatural powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 03:54:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 48,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29753664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Experibear/pseuds/Experibear
Summary: 'There was something mesmerizing about her quiet exterior, her eyes that shimmered like embers.'(f/n) (l/n) is the first ever found individual living outside the walls. She is discovered by the Scout Regiment during one of their trips beyond the walls of Shiganshina with her village destroyed and her being the lone survivor. She's taken in by the regiment, a figure of curiosity among many, and as her relationship grows with the people she meets inside the walls, the mystery around her slowly becomes unraveled: (f/n), as it is discovered, is not at all what she seems, and beyond the walls, there exist more vile, bloodthirsty enemies than just the titans- enemies bent on finding (f/n), and killing all who get in their way.I don't own any of the characters or events seen in the Attack on Titan series, but the plot and story is my own.This story moved over from Wattpad.
Relationships: Levi Ackerman & Reader, Levi Ackerman/Reader, Reader & Other(s)
Comments: 40
Kudos: 52





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hi (f/n)! Thanks for taking the time to check out my story- this is my first attempt at a serious fan fiction, and I'm just trying to have fun with it
> 
> While this story is structured around actual events that take place in the AOT universe, I created a separate story based off of your backstory that Levi will participate in (as well as other characters in the series). 
> 
> This story takes place shortly before the walls of Shiganshina are broken through by the colossal titan. (I know during this time Erwin isn't the commander and instead a squad captain, and Levi isn't a captain, etc. etc., but I decided to just put them in the roles they're known for.)
> 
> This story is rated mature- there will be a fair amount of cursing, and later on in the story, there will be sexual content. I will mention that it won't be vulgar or strictly sexual- I'm big into romance and relationship development so it will be softly written. All sex scenes and other scenes that might be sensitive for some people will be introduced in a bolded line before and after so you can skip them!
> 
> This will be written in first person because having a narrative strictly in second isn't something I enjoy writing (the only exception is the more intimate scenes- those will be in second person), but it's still meant to be something the reader can insert themselves in. Plus, I genuinely want to experiment with Levi's character (let's be honest, he's got to be a huge softie underneath, right?) and I think first person is better to show what he's thinking.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this story <3

They passed through the mountains as fleeting shadows, the earth beneath trembling in their wake. Winds carried afar their vile purposes, whispering of their approach to coming lands, but those who lived upon the hill didn't heed them. The shroud of evening rendered them all indifferent to susurrous warnings.

They were led by him, hair white as the peaks surrounding, fiery eyes piercing through the strands. He thirsted for their blood, hungered for their capture, and as they descended upon the village like a crashing wave their screams tickled his sadistic fancy.

He had wanted them in cages, entangled in chains and iron, but as they looked upon him in fear, he was reminded of how starved he was to execute their slaughter. Relentlessly he split them open, tore at their bones from within flesh and muscle, until he stood bathed in red atop a hill cast on fire.

When the fray had settled, he looked about at their leaking corpses with distaste. As the gore he so desperately craved seeped into the earth, he gestured to his men.

"Drain them," he said, and at his word his corrupt following leapt towards the smoldering bodies, needles in hand, to empty them of what blood they had left.

He was to be the most powerful, a God of cruelty and dominant reign, and as he watched the vials fill with scarlet fluid, he bore a wicked smile. 

☾ ☾ ☾


	2. Discovery

Levi's POV:

There was a vast woodland encompassing much of the land beyond the walls of Shiganshina. On that day, Erwin had divided the ranks in an attempt to map the majority of the forest, and to advance our cartographers' knowledge of the valley that lay afar. 

I ventured further beyond the mark of where we'd gone in missions past with my squad, exploring segments of the forest alien to us. As we thundered by, the surrounding trees began to thin, and gradually, we came to the edge of the woodland. The distant mountains ringed the fringes of view, and beneath them lay the unhindered vale, grassland expanding infinitely towards the East and West.

In the horizon, a trail of black smoke rose from the growing hills that sat at the base of the mountain range. All eyes of my squad narrowed at the peculiar sight.

"Captain Levi, sir," Eld called, pointing to the rising smog.

We slowed our horses to assess the situation.

"What could've caused that smoke? A forest fire, maybe?" Petra asked.

"Probably worth examining," Gunther said.

I sat quietly watching the view. The trip would've taken an hour, at least.

"Heichou?" Petra rode up beside me, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Tch, let's just be quick about it." I reined my horse in the direction of the smoke. "Eld, fire a purple flare. Erwin and the rest will come and join us to examine the smoke."

Under the rain of purple dye, we raced in the direction of the hills. The wind whistled in my ear. Despite the fact that this distraction irritated me, disrupting our scheduled routine, I couldn't deny a hint of curiosity swelling up as we gradually approached the mountains. We've never encountered something like this in previous missions. It better not just be a forest fire.

~

The sweltering black cloud coveted all sunlight, shielding its rays from reaching us and laying a heavy shadow upon the hills. Every breath stung, and my eyes began to water. I could practically taste the fumes on my tongue.

As we drew closer to the top of the hill, we started passing farmlands. The tilled earth was lined with rows of barley, wheat, and corn. A hush befell the squad- even Oluo was quiet. What we saw on top of the hill only spurred more questions than we started with.

We were greeted with what remained of a small village. Houses were burned down to their foundations, embers still glowing in the charred wood. Bodies littered the paths, and the smell of burned flesh was overwhelming.

"What the hell is this," I muttered, taking in our surroundings.

"Is this really a village?" Petra sounded alarmed. Her eyes were wide and layered in shock. "Outside the walls?"

"It's a wonder how they managed to survive at all," Eld mumbled.

When we came to what appeared to be the village square, Gunther was the first to hop off his horse, looking about in dismay. "What happened here?"

I took in our surroundings cautiously, eyeing the shade for any signs of movement, before I got down from my steed and went to stand beside him. "Tch, looks like it doesn't really matter what happened here. It's all burned to ashes now."

I gestured to the rest of the squad. "Spread out. See if you can find anything that explains this mess, and stay alert. Whatever started this fire may still be around."

I headed further into the heart of the village. Looking around, my hope for finding any sort of clues as to what occurred here slowly began to diminish.

_This is useless. There's nothing left._

I decided to return to my squad when a building caught my eye- the wood of the doorframe had a peculiar marking at its arch. Going closer to examine it, I saw a crescent shape at the top, with swirling lines spilling out underneath. That's when I saw a pale hand inside, protruding from underneath a layer of singed wood. I doubted they were still alive, but the lack of burns made me go over and feel for a pulse.

I felt my eyes widen at the slow, rhythmic beating in their wrist. _Shit! They're still alive!_

I thought of calling the rest of my squad, but decided against it, considering we were in foreign territory and had no idea whether unfriendly ears perused the neighboring hills. I placed my hands underneath the wood panel that had collapsed, wincing at the slight pain as the heat stung my fingers, and lifted it off to the side. That's when I saw her, laying there, seemingly unharmed by the fire. She had (h/l) (h/c) hair, matted and curled around her figure, and a torn black dress. Her brow was furrowed as though some distress plagued her dreams.

"Captain, we didn't find any-" Eld stopped in his tracks behind me, eyeing the girl that lay unconscious before us. She seemed frail and fair, a steep contrast from the crumbling, ashen village that surrounded her as she slept.

"Is she alive?"

"Barely. Her pulse is slow but steady for now. Get the horses- I'll carry her to mine."

"Captain." Eld raced outside, the sound of his footsteps diminishing down the path. I carefully picked her up, my fingers still stinging from where they met the charred wood, and carried her outside. Eld approached with the horses, the rest of the squad following closely behind.

"Heichou! Who is that?" Petra eyed her limp figure curiously.

"Tch, how should I know?" I sat her near the front of my saddle, her body falling rather ungracefully along the neck of my horse. "Gunther, have any flares been spotted from other squads?"

"Sir, last one came from further down the valley."

"Good. Saddle up- we'll meet them on the way back." We got on our horses and raced down the hill. I tried to lessen the roughness of the ride- last thing I needed was to show up in front of Erwin and the others with a lifeless corpse in my arms.

Her body had fallen back to rest against my chest as we rode, and her head lay on my shoulder. She smelled of smoke, and her warm body reminded me of flames. As we thundered through the dale, I had the strange thought that I was carrying destruction with me, all inside the humbled form of a fair-skinned girl who smelled like fire.

~

"Levi, who's that?" Erwin rode up to my horse, his eyes never leaving the girl who laid against my chest.

"Found her on the hill. She's still alive."

"There's a village up there!" Oluo exclaimed. "Can you imagine? A village beyond the walls!"

"There's been a fire though," Gunther added. "Everything's burned. She's the only one left."

Hushed murmurs spread among the others at the announcement of a burned village, existing however long it did in titan territory. All eyes fell on her, and how she was nestled against my body. It started to make me uncomfortable.

"Tch, her scent is clogging my nose," I muttered. "Someone else carry her back to HQ."

I gave her over to Hange. The wide frames of her glasses only made her excited expression more apparent and annoying to look at.

"Unbelievable!" she cried. "Humans living in titan territory! Imagine what she could tell us!"

"Their village was burned to cinders, moron. Obviously, her advice won't be very helpful."

Hange cradled her like she was some newfound treasure. "Don't listen to him! Shorty's got only attitude crammed inside his tiny stature."

Erwin narrowed his eyes at the coming darkness. The sun began its descent into the West, the fringes of a starry sky beginning to break through the veil above.

"Scouts! It's time for a hasty return!" 

At his call, the scouts veered their steeds back towards the forest, and began the tiresome journey home.

☾ ☾ ☾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all, Lucy here <3
> 
> I'll be updating pretty frequently (got way too much time on my hands). I'd love to read any comments or critiques you may have regarding the story! After all, this is YOUR story with Levi, so please don't hesitate in offering suggestions to make it better :) 
> 
> Thank you so so much for reading!


	3. Trust

Levi's POV:

When we arrived at our headquarters inside Wall Rose, Hange quickly disembarked her steed and raced to the infirmary, the girl in her arms.

"Levi, gather your squad and meet me in my office," Erwin called as he saddled his horse in the stables. "We have lots to discuss after today's events."

I grunted in response, turning back to assure the members of my squad heard Erwin's announcement. They were quiet, eyes still encumbered with their thoughts after what we'd seen. 

"Captain, what's going to happen now?" Gunther whispered.

Under the shade of the evening, the dumbfounded glint in their eyes sparkled all the more prominently as they looked to me. 

"Titans don't start fires." Eld looked away, his posture stiff with uncertainty. "Whatever happened in that village didn't involve them."

"You're right."

Their eyes flickered with renewed curiosity after I spoke. 

"What we saw today was no less than troubling," I continued. Despite my internal conflictions as to what we encountered, I kept my gaze steady. "Turns out there are people that lived in titan territory, and by that alone, there could be others. Whatever befell them and their village was not the work of titans, but instead by some other enemy posed against them."

I turned and started heading towards the building, hearing their footfalls behind me. "But that doesn't change the fact that we have little idea as to what goes on beyond our walls," I muttered. "We never did."

~

I knocked on Erwin's door with my squad beside me.

"Enter."

I came in and sat in front of his desk, the rest of them piling in to stand behind, all timidly facing Erwin. He was sat at his table, hands crossed in front of his face. His blue gaze looked at each of us, even more striking under the shade of his furrowed brow.

"I'd like to hear your accounts on what happened on the hilltop. I'm initially aware that you've come across a sort of village?"

"Yes, Commander Erwin, sir!" Eld saluted before he continued speaking. I rolled my eyes. "We saw the smoke just outside the edges of the forest, and when we approached the hill, we found the village, completely burned down. Levi was the one that found the girl."

"I see." Erwin thought a moment. "Was anything uncovered that provided some insight as to what occurred?"

"No, sir," Petra chimed in. "Everything else was too damaged to really examine."

Erwin sighed. "Then it appears our knowledge of this village depends entirely on the lone survivor, should she wake." He went and stood before his window, peering out at the darkened sky. Erwin was usually good at keeping his emotions in check, but he appeared troubled. "Levi, being the best scout here with hand-to-hand combat, I'd like you to oversee the girl."

"Tch, is that really necessary? She isn't even awake."

Erwin turned and looked at me with his commanding gaze. "We've got no idea what these people are capable of. If she happens to wake, the last thing we need is her causing harm to our attendants."

"Fine. Whatever," I muttered. Somehow, in this regiment, being the best at combat got me stuck with menial labors. I felt like a glorified babysitter.

"Good. Well, that's all for now. You're all dismissed." Erwin returned to his seat. "Levi, go check on Hange and the girl in the infirmary. Make sure she's well secured."

As soon as we left the room, Eld gave a slight chuckle. "Enjoy babysitting duty, Captain!"

Petra giggled.

"Oh, it's not so bad," Gunther remarked. "She's quite the looker."

"Pervert," Oluo mumbled. "You ever think your head is shaped the way it is because instead of thinking with your brain, you think with your co-"

Gunther elbowed him stiffly in the ribs. "Ironically, you never know when to bite your tongue," he retorted.

"You're all a bunch of idiots," I said curtly, before turning down the hall to head to the infirmary. There wasn't a single part of me looking forward to this.

~

"Shorty, you're here! Great news- she's in stable condition. She just suffered a minor concussion, really."

"Why the hell should I care?" I looked behind Hange's bubbling excitement to see her lying there, still unconscious. "How does a minor concussion knock someone out for hours on end?"

Hange's face twisted to concern. "That's the strange part. There's been traces of temazepam found in her system."

"She's been drugged?"

"Yeah. Dosage is lessening by the minute, so she should be awake not long from now."

I went over to her bedside, making sure the restraints on her wrists were tightly bound to the headboard. "Tch, it's good enough, I guess."

"I'm going to get something to eat. You'll be here in case she wakes up?"

"Yeah, yeah. Get out of here."

As Hange left, I pulled up a seat and sat by her bedside. I watched her intently for a moment, waiting for any sudden movements. I ended up sitting in silence looking at the curls in her (h/c) hair, listening to her slow breathing pattern.

 _Well, this is fucking boring._ I decided to grab a book to read while I waited for her to wake up.

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV:

I was surrounded in darkness. Sounds rang out from the black- collapsing wood, thundering hooves, muffled voices. I felt as though I were floating, drifting among the murky expanses, oblivious to the shifting world around me.

I remembered his twisted smile as the world faded. It haunted me in this abyss. An overhanging nightmare, a darker shadow in a field of shadows. Yet still, all I could do was drift in this void, listening to what echoed from beyond, bearing the burdens of the past.

Then, quite suddenly, it all faded to a numbed grey. My senses began to wake from their slumber, but as I opened my eyes, the light was blinding, and the surrounding sounds blended to a single hum that rang in my ears. I groaned as I adjusted to my environment, and I started to see what appeared to be the inside of a room in a hospital ward. The pale white color on the walls made me realize I was far from home.

And then I saw him. He sat there by the bed, watching me intensely, his dulled grey eyes piercing my own. He had straight black hair that hung over his face, shading most of his features. Even though he was sitting, I could tell by his posture he was being defensive, and as I tried to sit up, I realized I was tied down.

We were like this for a long while, in silence, never hesitating in breaking our gaze towards each other. It wasn't aggressive, but it wasn't friendly, either. Whoever he was, he wanted me to speak first, and I stubbornly refused to do so.

The door opened, breaking the tense silence, and a man stepped in. His blonde hair was elegantly cropped, and his dense eyebrows cast a shadow on his gleaming blue eyes. At his entrance, the man who sat by my bed averted his gaze.

The blonde man's eyes widened as he saw me. "She's awake," he said, to which the other man simply grunted.

"Has she said anything?"

"Not a word."

"Then allow me the pleasure of introducing myself first," the blonde man said, coming to stand at the foot of my bed. "My name is Erwin Smith. I am the Commander of the Scouts Regiment, the same group that found you earlier. And you are?"

I met his eyes steadily and said nothing. It made sense that he was the Commander- he stood tall, and his stance resonated with a sort of power.

"Tch, perhaps she doesn't speak our language, or at all." The man who sat by the bed stood up and went to stand behind Erwin, leaning against the wall. He was, in comparison, very small.

Erwin narrowed his eyes. "Know that we bear you no harm, stranger. We simply want to know what happened to your village that caused it to burn down to its foundations."

I felt my breath catch at his words. _My village- destroyed?_

"So, you understand us after all," Erwin said, pleased that his words caused a reaction.

 _So much for playing the 'I'm a foreigner and can't understand you' charade._ "Was I the only survivor?" I asked flatly. 

I saw Erwin shooting a look to the man against the wall. While his expression was mostly hidden behind the dark strands of his hair, I could see his eyes had widened slightly. He probably didn't expect to hear me speak.

"It was Levi here that found you, and his squad alone went to your village," Erwin said.

"You were the only person we found alive." Levi looked at me with cold eyes. If he felt any remorse, he didn't show it. I slowly grew a distaste for the man, simply because his icy demeanor resembled my own. I wondered what atrocities he had to have lived through to get to this point, where any sense of vulnerability was shielded under his grey glare.

"Who are you?" Erwin asked again.

I pulled at my restraints. "If you truly bear me no ill will, you will remove these ties. They are unnecessary."

"While we mean you no harm, know that we do not trust you, and are unable to test your word."

"What sort of courtesy is there then, to bring me here without my consent, chaining me up like some criminal, when any notion of me being free of these bonds exists only if I'm able to gain your trust?"

Erwin hesitated, and gave me a slight smile. "Next time, don't pique our curiosities by laying half-dead in the remains of a collapsing town on the hills."

"Wonderful." I turned to Levi. "You abide by this logic?"

"Tch, what kind of question is that? I trust Erwin, not you."

"So be it." I relaxed my grip on the ropes and averted my gaze to the blandly colored ceiling. "You may leave and take your vigilant dog with you. I do not trust my words to those who, in turn, do not trust me enough to unbind me."

I saw Levi stiffen at my insult from the corner of my eyes. He took an aggressive step forward, only to be stopped by Erwin's hand. "Easy, Levi," he said. "It appears our guest requires a few more hours of quiet rest. Let's leave her be for the night."

They quietly left, the closing door marking the last sound I heard the rest of the evening. I was alone in a foreign world, under the watch of untrustworthy men asking me to trust them.

☾ ☾ ☾


	4. Babysitting

Levi's POV:

I spent the night working in my study. I went over older manuscripts from previous scouting missions, seeing if anything was written on villages or people that lived beyond the walls, but to no avail. It seems as though the girl, whoever she was, was the first one we've ever come across.

A knock sounded on my door.

"Name and business," I stated.

Hange opened the door rather excitedly. "Can't sleep either, huh?"

"Tch. Should consider locking the door once in a while," I muttered.

Hange invited herself to the seat in front of my desk, and to my annoyance, she decided to carelessly put her dirt-laden boots on my table.

"Erwin told me the girl woke up and spoke to you two briefly," she said.

"Feet off the desk."

"Did she say anything promising? Did you find out why her village was destroyed?"

"Feet off the desk."

"What was she like? Erwin said she resembled you a lot!" Hange's eyes widened in excitement. "Not really talkative, cold, quiet- oh, all the things I could consider doing to make her talk! Maybe pairing you two up would help, huh? You could both sit there in silence and glare at each other." She gave a piercing laugh. "Like two peas!"

"Get your damn feet off my desk, Shitty Glasses."

Hange gave a huff. "Almost as short as your temper." She finally took her filthy boots off of my desk. "Now, tell me. What did you learn?"

I pulled out a wipe and began cleaning the wood where her stained shoes had rested. "We learned nothing, you moron. It's like Erwin said- she didn't give us anything. She's stubborn and rude. I'd be surprised if we learned anything from her."

"Believe me, we've all got experience with the stubborn." Hange gave me a knowing look. "Erwin tasked you with keeping her under your watch. If I were you, I'd consider at least trying to communicate with her. Either way, I'll think of a few things to help this along. Maybe Petra could get on her good side."

"She said she wouldn't talk so long as she's bound."

"Then unbind her, for God's sake! What, you worried you won't be able to restrain her if the need arises?"

"Tch, that's the least of my worries. What if she hurts someone else?"

"Then you'll just have to supervise all of her daily visits."

"I don't think so."

Hange suddenly got serious. "Open up a little bit, Levi. Think about what she represents- not just for us, but for all of humanity. If it's possible for people to live outside the walls among the titans, information regarding how they do so is of paramount importance. You think these walls will last forever?" Hange stood up and placed her hands on my desk, looking down at me with an invigorated sense of purpose. "We need to understand the titans like her people did. We need a better way of survival, one that surpasses our current methods of sheltering the people and risking the lives of our soldiers."

"Her village was destroyed, Hange. She's the only one that seems to have survived. It's impossible to live in titan territory."

"Their village, however long it lasted, stood stronger than our scouting missions alone. We lose countless bodies to the titans just from venturing out of our walls for a few hours- bodies of trained soldiers. It's our job to learn about what we're dealing with, and how to better deal with it." Hange stood up and adjusted herself, the playful light returning to her eye. "Just try to have fun with it, okay?"

And with that, she left. I sighed and leaned back in my chair, exhausted with the idea of having to surround the girl, making sure she didn't try anything stupid.

_Babysitting duty, it is. This better be worth it._

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV:

I watched as sunlight began to trickle in through the blinds. It was impossible to fall asleep, knowing where I was. I began to hear the building awaken with the footsteps passing outside my door, the voices seeping in through the vents. I dreaded the sorts of questioning I'd be subject to today.

As if on cue, the door slammed open, and in bounded a woman with brown hair and ridiculously large glasses, a bubbly grin plastered on her face. Behind her stalked Levi.

"Good morning!" she hollered, grabbing a seat and sitting down beside me. "My name is Hange Zoe. I'm a Squad Leader here with the Scout Regiment. Care to give me a name?"

Levi resumed his position leaning up against the wall, eyeing me with distaste. I almost felt I liked him more than this Hange- her excitable personality put me on edge.

I turned away from her prying gaze, instead looking at the window.

"O.K.! I see you're in no mood to talk, so how about this? I'll tell you a little more about where you are, and maybe after, you'll tell me something in return," she said. "Currently, you're in the infirmary in the Scouts Headquarters, just inside Wall Rose."

I turned and met her gaze at this. "Wall Rose?" I asked. "I should've figured I was in the Cornered City. How does it feel, knowing you and your loved ones are sheep, trapped inside a pen?"

Hange completely disregarded my insult. Instead, her expression lit up. "Cornered City?" she exclaimed. "Is that what your people call this place?"

I felt my face drop. I hated this woman. Sternly, I returned my gaze to the window, trying to see what lay beyond the folds of the blinds.

"Ah, let me help you!" She went and lifted the blinds, showing the outside world. I could see the trees, the sky, and further beyond, the towering ridges of the wall. It was a beautiful cage for sure, but a cage, nonetheless.

"What shocks me the most is how wonderful your skin is," Hange said as she inched closer to me. 

I cringed at her words. "Excuse me?"

"Your skin! Levi, didn't you say she was buried beneath scalding wood? And yet, there's not a burn on you, not even a scratch." She traced a finger along my exposed forearm, her buggy eyes examining every inch.

"Get your hands off me," I snapped, pulling harder at my restraints.

"Hange, what the hell are you doing?" Levi hissed.

"My job, Shorty." Hange began squeezing the muscles in my arm, prodding it with her fingers. "Extraordinary," she breathed. "How'd you do it?"

I shot her a heavy glare. "If you don't stop touching me, you better wish I don't get out of these ropes."

Levi came and grabbed Hange's hand off my arm. "Are you trying to piss her off?"

"Well, how else are we supposed to learn anything? She's almost as infuriating as you are," Hange spat. She gave a heavy sigh. "Fine, fine. I'll consult a bit more with Erwin. Levi, keep around, okay? And please, think about what I told you last night."

Levi released Hange's arm and she headed out the door, leaving me and Levi alone in the room. He shot me a glare.

"Don't you start making threats," he hissed.

"Don't poke at me like some lab rat."

"Tch." Levi sat beside me. He looked at me heavily, and while he appeared expressionless, I believe he turned a thought over in his mind. "Listen, brat. All we're trying to do is learn more about how you managed to survive outside the walls. If you help us, we'll return the favor." He pulled a knife from his belt and leaned over me, shooting me a warning glance. "Don't you dare think about trying anything." He cut the ties.

I slowly sat up, rubbing my wrists where the rope had cut into my skin. Levi sat back down in his chair, blade still in hand. I looked at him and softened my expression a little.

"Thanks," I said. 

He grunted in response. 

I thought for a moment, before giving a little sigh and said, "I'm (f/n)."

He hesitated, before softening his gaze a little, too. "Well, (f/n), I'd say it's nice to meet you, if you weren't so damn rude." 

☾ ☾ ☾


	5. Leaving the Room

Levi's POV:

We sat there in silence for a long time. I decided that, if (f/n) really was like me, pushing her for answers would get us nowhere. Instead, she'd be the one that would have to offer them first, on her own accord.

Besides, I had no issue with sitting beside patiently.

"Well, this fucking blows," she said, sitting up. 

_Apparently, she feels differently._

"Think I can see more of this place you people brought me to instead of just the inside of a hospital room?"

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"I'm not taking any risks just so you can get some fresh air."

The door opened, and Erwin came in with Hange close behind. Erwin stood at the foot of the bed, his eyes widening at (f/n)'s cut bonds. "You decided to release her from her ties?" he asked.

Hange nervously approached the bed. "Hey, listen, about before- with the touching- I didn't me-"

"Easy, Four Eyes," (f/n) said, watching Hange's approach tensely. "I didn't mean what I said. Just try not to test me, yeah? I still don't know you people."

Hange relaxed with a wide smile. "Oh, fantastic!" She grabbed a seat, and I felt myself loosen the grip on my blade, not even realizing I had reacted to her slight aggression. Erwin, too, softened his defensive stance. _Maybe it wasn't a good idea to cut her ties just yet._

"So, are we feeling a bit more talkative?" Hange asked, eyeing (f/n) with large, excited eyes.

"(f/n) wants to take a stroll or whatever," I muttered.

"(f/n)! You learned her name!" Hange exclaimed. "That's marvelous, Levi! Of course (f/n) should be able to explore the place a little bit. This room isn't very stimulating."

I shot her a look. "To which I responded that it would be too risky, Shitty Glasses. It's not a good idea."

Erwin shook his head. "We can't exactly keep her cooped up inside the infirmary. We have to remind ourselves that she's not a prisoner, Levi."

I stood angrily and gestured for Erwin to speak to me in the corner of the room, while Hange ogled over (f/n) in the bed still, asking her questions, causing her temper to slowly rise.

"Erwin, I strongly suggest we consider moving her into a cell, or something with at least a level of protection," I whispered.

"We didn't bring her here to throw her in prison, Levi. We aim only to learn about her and her people, as it may benefit our own. To do so, a level of trust needs to be secured, and that cannot be accomplished by putting her behind bars."

"In considering the people, _Commander_ , we need also a level of caution."

"Yes, we do." Erwin smiled. "You are that level of caution. You will accompany her, keep her under watch, and secure her should things get out of hand."

I felt traces of anger seep into my gaze. "You're still employing certain risks by trusting her," I hissed.

"I don't trust her. I trust you, Captain, to keep our people safe in her midst."

"Tch. This is a stupid plan, but I'll go along with it. Just know that if she does try anything, I'll put her down without a second thought in my mind."

Erwin put a hand on my shoulder. "I should hope so."

~

(f/n) sported a hot glare. Her (e/c) irises were laced with fingers of growing hatred as Hange pestered her constantly.

"Ease off, Hange," Erwin said. 

Hange sat back in her seat with a huff. "Haven't a clue as to how you squeezed a name out of this dry fruit," she muttered under her breath.

"(f/n), it's been decided. Captain Levi, being our best combatant, will accompany you in your daily ventures. You're being placed under his continuous watch. He'll take you around today so you can stretch your legs, and while you two are away, we'll make accommodations for you in the empty office. You'll spend your evenings in the bedroom, while Levi will make himself comfortable in the adjacent office."

I felt my face drop at the announcement. "Erwin-"

"Wasn't it you, Levi, that suggested an extra layer of caution?" Erwin's gaze hinted at a level of amusement. I turned my glare over to (f/n), who responded with a glare of her own.

_Tch. This brat won't make things easy on me._

"Hange will fetch you some clean clothes to wear. I take my leave."

Erwin left, and I grudgingly leaned up against the wall by the door.

_I can't believe Erwin stuck me with this. Should've left her in the village where I found her._

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

Hange placed a pile of clothes on the bedspread. I picked up a pair of black pants and examined the white blouse with distaste. 

"Got anything else in black?" I asked. Levi rolled his eyes.

She smiled. "It's never bad to mix it up once in a while," she said. "Go ahead and change in the bathroom. I, uh, I also left a hairbrush on the sink. You know, just in case." She gave me a playful wink before heading out the door.

I ran a finger through my hair self-consciously, only to find it riddled in knots. Levi eyed me with disgust. "You should really practice some self-hygiene," he muttered. 

"Oh, climb off your stepping stool," I spat. His eyes flared in anger. 

"Tch. Just hurry up so we can get this over with."

I gathered the clothes and headed into the bathroom, taking extra care to make sure the door was locked. Looking in the mirror, I eyed my torn dress sadly, before taking it off and sliding on the clothes Hange provided. I looked far too professional for my taste. Taking Hange's advice, and Levi's snarky comment, I picked up the hairbrush and began combing through my tangles, before giving up and putting it all up in a messy bun. My (h/c) curls dangled along the sides of my face, and I smiled a bit at my reflection in the mirror. I looked extremely out of place. 

I left the bathroom and placed my tattered dress on the bed, before sliding on my boots. Levi was eyeing me curiously. 

"Tch. You look like a clown." 

"It's a good thing I won't stand out too much walking next to you, then." 

"You miserable little-" 

"We ready to go?" 

Levi's face was distorted in his hatred. "Whatever. Follow me, brat."

☾ ☾ ☾


	6. The Walls

Levi's POV: 

I decided to take her into the neighboring fields, as far away as I could from other people. I didn't want to test her resilience in a crowd. She walked steadily beside me, eyeing her surroundings curiously. So far, she made no aggressive movements, and we walked in silence. 

I glanced at her cautiously a few times, insuring she was maintaining her calm demeanor. I meant what I said before- she looked like a clown. Her hair was messy, curls flowing down on either sides of her face, and her (e/c) eyes were striking, almost glowing in the shade. She had also stuffed her pants rather ungracefully in her black boots. She looked wild, like an animal forced into a suit. 

Although, she did carry herself with a certain grace. She strode confidently, the world around flashing through her gaze as though she commanded it and feared nothing. There was something mesmerizing about her quiet exterior, her eyes that shimmered like embers. I shook the disturbing thought from my mind. 

"You alright?" she asked suddenly. 

"Tch, what's it to you?" 

"You just shook your head. See something you don't like?" 

"Yeah, you. Can't believe I'm stuck with this job." 

"What'd you expect? You were the one that decided to bring me here." 

We passed through the trees and came to a clearing, a small hill rising in its center. She sat, looking up at the wall that loomed over us. "It may not be the mountains, but it's quite nice." 

I sighed and sat beside her, wondering when I'd be able to return to my own affairs. "The sooner you tell us what we need to know, the sooner we'll let you leave openly," I said bluntly. 

"And why am I required to tell you people anything?" 

"Tch, because knowing how you managed to survive out there would help us. We can't let that opportunity slip away." 

She looked at me intensely, but I couldn't tell what she was thinking. "It's not a big secret how we survived, _Captain_. We weren't afraid of the titans. It's as simple as that. Your people run out into the wild, thinking you know everything there is to know about killing them, exterminating them, and yet you give no consideration of coexistence." 

"Are you fucking mad? Coexisting with the titans?" 

She looked back at the wall. "It's not about actively trying to incorporate titans into your lives," she said rather matter-of-factly. "It's more about altering your perspective. If you prioritize only the idea of living freely once the titans are dead, you're hindering your options while spreading mass fear among your people. Fear is what keeps you all here, inside these walls, and it's what accounts for all your casualties beyond them." 

"Tch. So, what, I'm supposed to go tell Erwin that you said we all must be fearless? How irrational is that?" 

"Don't be stupid, Levi. It's impossible to be fearless, but it's not impossible to discourage it. What do you think I see, each time I look up to these walls?" 

"The hell would I know what you think?" 

She looked at me again, this time her gaze riddled in sympathy. It made me sick to think of her feeling sorry for me. "Your way of life, your government, your people, exists solely based on your fears. You encourage it. You'll never be able to live outside these walls, in the wild, if every time you look skyward, you see an overarching symbol of protection- protection you've never been encouraged to seek in yourself.

"You people really want my advice? Live outside for a while. Walls around a city are easily broken through, but the walls created in the people, in their resolve, is far more resilient in the face of conflict." 

We sat in silence for a while, the only sound coming from the wind blowing through the grass and surrounding trees. I lost track of time as we sat there, looking up at the wall, our minds swimming in the thoughts that came at the sight. Towards the end, I remember thinking about what I thought the first time I saw her, when I carried her with me on my horse- a girl that reminded me of fire, of destruction. _Maybe destruction is the prelude to needed change._

_Hell, what's the matter with me? Why am I taking what she said so seriously? Not like it was helpful in any way._

I stood up. "Come on, brat. I'll show you around headquarters."

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

We headed back to the building, and I noticed Levi was deep in thought the whole way. His black hair shielded most of his face in shadow, but his eyes were deeply entranced, glimmering each time the light hit them. He showed me the stables, the courtyard, the training fields, the rooms set aside for regiment members, the offices, and finally, he took me to the mess hall, where a large portion of the regiment were currently gathered. 

"Sure you trust me around these people?" I asked. 

"I trust that you know by now if you attempt anything, I'll take you down without hesitation."

After we got our food, he led me to a table with four people he introduced as his squad members, and he headed off to sit with Hange and Erwin, eyeing me from time to time across the room. 

"How are you liking the place so far?" Petra asked. 

"It's quaint." I took a bite of the bread. "Food's not too bad, either." 

"So, (f/n)," Eld started, leaning back in his chair. He looked at me curiously. "I hear after you help us out, you'll be on your own way again. Where are you gonna go?" 

I knew he was asking me this because my village was destroyed. I tensed a little at the reminder. "Grew up in the mountains," I said curtly. "I'm headed straight for them as soon as I'm done here." 

"Captain Levi give you any trouble?" Gunther asked through a mouthful of food. 

"You all know him better than I do, so I'm assuming you know the answer to that."

"Sheesh, aren't you a chatterbox," Oluo muttered. 

Petra elbowed him slightly. "Hey, give her a break. It's not easy waking up in a completely different place, surrounded by strangers." She turned to me with a smile. "I'm sorry about him. Just know that we didn't bring you here to make you miserable. It's...difficult, out there, beyond the walls for us, so we could use some extra help, if you decide to give it." 

I softened a bit at her words. She was kinder than the others I've met, and her brown eyes resonated with a sense of compassion. 

"So, what's it like being in Levi's squad?" 

They seemed taken aback by my initiation of conversation at first, but eventually, talking with them grew to be pleasant. They were good people, and even though Oluo and Petra seemed to be at odds with each other at times, I could sense a strong bond that existed between them all. 

They held their captain under high esteem, too, and I couldn't help listening intently as they described him. He was greatly respected, I could tell. As Levi was praised among his members, I found myself looking in his direction, only to find his intense stare already on me. I know he hesitated in trusting me, and his caution was warranted, but as we locked eyes for a short while, I didn't feel any anger held against me. He was largely unreadable, but there was a curious light in his expressionless eyes.

☾ ☾ ☾


	7. Our Room

Levi's POV: 

"What should we do with her, then?" I asked, casting another look in her direction. 

It seemed as though she was gradually becoming more relaxed with talking to my squad, and they looked like they were loosening up with her, too. I wondered if at some point, I'd finally see her give them a smile, or even a laugh. 

_What the hell is wrong with me? Stop fucking staring, you moron,_ I thought to myself, before turning back to Erwin and Hange. 

Erwin thought for a moment, considering our options. He looked at me levelly. "She is under your command, Captain," he said. "I believe since you've spent the most amount of time with her thus far, you'll come up with an appropriate solution." 

"Tch, we've only spent one day together. I doubt that's enough time to judge something like this." 

"Well, sure," Hange said. "But you can't deny that your opinion is the most valid one around. It's not often someone is able to get on your good side so quickly." 

"All I said was she's different than we previously thought," I snapped. "She doesn't seem to mean us any harm after we talked in the field." 

"But why do you keep staring at her, Shorty?" Hange gave me a teasing smile. "She's pretty attractive, isn't she?"

I felt myself bristle with anger. "This has nothing to do with-"

"Either way." Erwin dismissed the tension between me and Hange with a wave. "It appears she opened up to you today, however slightly. I leave the decision up to you, Captain. Make it soon- we leave tomorrow." 

I looked back over at (f/n) and noticed her getting along particularly well with Eld, who appeared to have inched closer to her. They seemed to be engaged in a deep conversation, Eld looking as though he hung on her every word, his eyes entranced on her own, lips twisted in a slight smile. I hated the idea of my squad members getting too close to (f/n), especially when we knew so little about her. 

I stood up abruptly, startling both Hange and Erwin, and made my way over to their table. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

I was in the middle of talking with Eld when I noticed Levi storming over to us, his expression twisted with a hint of anger. Everyone at the table stopped their conversation to nervously look at the tense Captain, his unrelenting glare focused on me and Eld. 

Suddenly aware of how close me and Eld were sitting, I tried to subtly shift a little more to my left. 

"(f/n), I've been told our room is set-up," he said between pursed lips. "Follow me. We've got things to discuss, brat." 

I felt my eyes narrow at the unwarranted anger Levi expressed so harshly. 

"Our room?" Gunther whispered to Oluo. 

I stood, saying my goodbyes to the members at the table. Eld clasped my hand, gave me a warm smile, and thanked me for the conversation. I thought I saw Levi direct his glare to Eld. 

"Lead the way," I said, and I followed Levi up the stairs to our alleged room. 

~ 

We entered what turned out to be an office space with a bedroom linked to the side. I was to reside in the bedroom, while Levi would make himself comfortable in the office. 

"I hope this door locks," I said, going over to examine the door that led to the bedroom. "Where are you going to sleep, anyway?"

"Tch, come here and sit down," Levi muttered. 

After taking my seat, Levi sat across from me, eyeing me sternly. 

"You seem troubled." 

"Shut up," Levi retorted. "What sort of relationship have you developed with Eld?" 

The question caught me off guard, and I widened my eyes in surprise. "My relationship... with Eld?" 

"Answer the question." 

"Why on earth are you asking me about this?" 

Levi stiffened, hesitating as he thought of an answer. "I don't like seeing you getting too friendly with my squad members," he decided to say. 

"And that's because?" 

"Tch, what do you think? I don't trust you, (f/n). I don't want them thinking for one second you're some harmless, friendly, attractive girl we happened upon outside the walls." All traces of anger vanished from Levi's face as he considered what he just said. 

"Attractive?" I mused. "I'm flattered, Levi, but I prefer my men a little... taller." 

Just like that, the spitting, angry expression returned to his face. He was practically fuming. "Listen, you insufferable little brat, if you think for one second I-" 

He was silenced by a knocking at the door. Almost at once, he leaned back in his seat, softening his eyes, acting as though nothing had occurred. "Come in," he said. 

Hange entered, her bright expression suddenly turning into a frown. "Damn, air's a bit thick in here, isn't it? What were you two talking about?" 

"Nothing," Levi quipped before I could speak. "What's your business, Hange?" 

"Oh, I just came to see if we've reached a decision yet as to where Miss (f/n) will be placed during our mission." Hange came and stood behind me, folding her arms over the tip of my chair. I turned to Levi in confusion. 

"Have we not discussed this yet?" Hange asked, feeling the room. 

"Tch, not quite," Levi responded curtly. 

"Well, well." Hange stood in front of me, leaning against Levi's desk. "(f/n), as Levi was about to tell you, I believe-" She shot a quick look to the Captain. He stared straight ahead, his grey eyes expressing absolutely nothing. "-tomorrow, the scouts will be going on a mission outside the walls again, considering our endeavors today were cut short. We would very much like to know what will happen with you, with respect to Levi's wishes." 

"I'm perfectly capable of staying here a while. Could do without being under Levi's constant watch for once." 

"Absolutely not." Levi straightened himself in his chair. "I've decided it would be best for her to come with, so I can ensure she doesn't try anything stupid." 

Hange chuckled nervously. "Are you serious?" she asked. "I was thinking we could assign someone to stay here and keep her company while we conduct the mission. Aren't you considering the idea that, being outside, she might just slip away? Or worse, interfere with the mission?" 

"Tch, I trust her more with me outside the walls than with someone else inside them." 

Hange gave Levi a questioning look. "Erwin did say it was your decision," she sighed. "Very well, I'll tell him your thoughts." 

Hange left the room. I sat there, looking at all the books piled onto the bookshelves, while Levi sat silently at his desk. I could only assume he was thinking of something. 

"What are all these books about, anyway? Do the Scouts compile their own obituaries?"

Levi turned his eyes to me, and it surprised me how calm he looked. "I have an advantage in understanding you, (f/n)," he said. 

"Do you, now?" 

"Tch, you're not difficult to interpret, brat. You're like me in many ways. I know you like deflecting conversations, pushing people away with these snarky comments, but I was the person you talked to out there in the field today. I saw something else in you, however briefly." 

"Are you saying there's something else in you, too?" 

He was quiet after this. We held each other's gazes for a while, and I saw it again- that same curious light in his eye. 

"It's late," he said, averting his eyes down to the paperwork on the desk. "We have to be up early tomorrow for the mission. Go to bed, and don't try anything stupid." 

I stood and left for the bedroom. Upon closing the door, I realized there was, in fact, a lock. I looked at it for a minute, before pulling it shut. 

☾ ☾ ☾


	8. The Mission

(f/n)'s POV:

"The Cornered City." He gave a little laugh. "It's a fucking joke, it is." 

We sat beneath the shade of an eastern white, watching the sunlight glimmer upon the walls of the city across the valley. Our legs were intertwined as the wind rustled the surrounding ferns, the overhanging leaves, his dusky hair. 

"It's not so bad," I whispered. "Isn't it admirable, the lengths they went to?" 

He turned to me with his amber gaze. "Look around you, (f/n). Look at the hills we sit, the mountains behind, the world surrounding, unhindered by fence or stone." 

He laid back, twirling the wheat stem with his tongue as he watched the passing clouds. "There's nothing admirable in hiding from the world. If it's a risk to be out here, it's a risk worth taking."

I laid down beside him, my hand over his breast. Something stirred in me as I watched the world pass us by to the rhythm of his heartbeat. He cupped my chin and pressed his forehead against mine, his golden eyes caressing my own. "Don't you forget this."

~ 

I called for him as he rode into the mountains. He took the passage that led to the place only legends foretold of in warning. I called, and yet he continued unbridled. I wondered if he heard my cries, and if they kept him up at night in the days that followed.

~ 

I awoke suddenly to the sound of breaking wood and sat up in alarm. Levi stood at the foot of my bed, his breathing hard and fast, sweat shimmering on his skin where the moonlight reflected off of it. He looked around the room wildly, his eyes glowing with aggression. 

"What the fuck happened?" he growled. 

"What are you on about? Get the hell out of my room!" 

He looked at me in confusion. "You were screaming in here! What happened?" 

"You idiot, I had a nightmare! Get out!" 

The hostility in Levi's expression suddenly disappeared, and he looked slightly embarrassed. I saw a flash of red rush into his cheeks and noticed shamefully that the blanket left my legs exposed. I quickly covered myself and shot him a glare. 

"I-I'm sorry," he stumbled awkwardly. He straightened himself and went to examine the door he had just busted. The wood had cracked along the middle, and the edges near the lock were splintered. 

"Tch, fantastic. The lock snapped. I'll go get a new one. Won't take me too long to replace it." Levi turned to leave, avoiding eye-contact with me entirely. 

"No, wait, Levi." 

He stopped and cast a look over his shoulder. "What?" 

"Listen, forget the lock. It's fine. I'm sorry I yelled at you, you just caught me off guard, is all." 

"Tch. Next time don't be so dramatic in your sleep, brat. Woke me up in the middle of the night for no reason." 

He closed the door as best he could before I heard his rescinding footsteps heading back to his desk. I laid back down with a huff, thinking back on my dreams. I saw flashes of the hills, golden eyes, and a sweat-covered Levi. My cheeks started to heat up. 

"I'm being stupid," I mumbled to myself. 

"Shut up and go to sleep!" Levi called from the other room. 

_Well, that definitely helps._

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

I quickly dressed in my uniform as (f/n) lay still asleep in the next room. Early traces of sunlight began to seep in through the windows. 

There was a knock at the door, and before I could speak, Erwin came in. 

"We're beginning our preparations for departure," he said. "Is (f/n) awake yet?" He looked over to the bedroom and widened his eyes at the sight of the door. "What-" 

"Tch, she had a nightmare," I said. "When she didn't stop screaming like a little kid, I had to break the door down." 

Erwin nodded his head with a growing smirk. "I see. I'm glad to see you taking this task... very seriously." 

I gave him a look. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

Erwin ignored my question. "Are you sure bringing her along is the best idea, Levi?" 

"I think I'll be able to restrain her better than anyone else." 

For a brief moment, his blue eyes flickered with doubt; he shrugged it off and turned for the door. "I'll trust your judgement on the matter." 

As the door closed behind Erwin, I looked over to the bedroom. After last night, I felt it was best to refrain from going in there again. 

"(f/n), wake up! We're leaving!"

~ 

After the scouts left HQ on horseback, I made sure (f/n) rode a little way ahead of me, so I could be sure she didn't pull anything. She sat stiffly, uncomfortably responding to every jerk and snort as the horse raced onwards. 

"Not too fond of him?" Petra asked as she galloped beside her. 

"I've just never ridden a horse before," she replied, causing everyone near to look at her in surprise. 

"How on earth did your people get around, then?" Eld called. 

Before she could respond, a scout further up announced the approaching gate into Wall Maria. I watched as we neared the towering stone, watched as the edges rose gradually into the sky. I felt the shadow of the wall as it passed over me and thought about what (f/n) had said in the field. It made me look at the gathered civilians differently as they crowded under the shade- made me think of them as afraid, with the walls around beckoning them to succumb deeper into their fears. 

~ 

We passed the gate in Shiganshina into the outside world. I watched (f/n) intently- she looked further South, caressing the distant mountain range under her (e/c) gaze. The smoke trail we'd previously seen had dissipated, and the sky above her old village grew clear again, but I knew she mapped the route in her mind, considered the untrodden path that led to her home. 

I didn't know where she'd go, once her time with us has been fulfilled. She had no place to return to, and yet she eyed the white arcs far away with such longing, I had the strange sense she simply wished to live alone on the rooftops of the world. 

_What do I know, and why should I give a damn? All that matters is we keep her with us until we learn more about her people._

I turned my attention to the scouts. We divided our ranks as we headed into the coming forest. My squad was one of the few tasked with being positioned near the exterior of the woods while others mapped the interior- we were to safeguard the cartography attempt taking place within. 

The forest itself was expansive, stretching for leagues around the Southern border of the walls. We needed trails that passed between the dense boughs to allow for efficiency during future expeditions. 

We considered conducting a mission solely bent on returning to (f/n)'s village, seeing if more could be learned, but we decided against it. There was nothing more to be found, lingering in the ash, and no paths existed beyond the town. Further knowledge would have to come from (f/n), who in turn, kept quiet about her past. 

My squad was set to be positioned at the Western-most corner of the woods, holding off the titans there. We dismounted our steeds and flew among the boughs, (f/n) still struggling on her horse beneath us. I kept a heavy eye on her movements and surroundings, ensuring no titans came near. 

Eld gave a call further up as the break in the forest drew closer. I flew down to (f/n) at his cry and picked her up as gently as I could with my current speed- even then, she gave a gasp as I suddenly held her in my arms, swinging up with my squad members to a branch that overlooked the rolling vale in front of us. 

I set her down by the bark, her breathing exasperated at the abrupt flight. Her eyes were alight and wild, but it wasn't out of fear- it as though the feeling of flying awakened something in her nature. 

She looked at me, her (e/c) eyes swirling in a fury of emotions I couldn't interpret and gave me the first smile I've ever seen her express. "That was fantastic," she breathed. 

I felt myself unable to move or respond to her eyes, her smile. Seeing it for the first time made my breath catch a little in my throat. I didn't know what to say or do, so I nodded my head and simply turned to look at the expanses before us.

☾ ☾ ☾


	9. Departure

(f/n)'s POV: 

I sat with my back against the trunk of the tree, closing my eyes to remember the feeling of the wind kissing my skin as Levi carried me through the trees. The mumbling conversation held by his squad as they surveyed the landscape dwindled further into the background; in my mind, I was flying again. 

"Hey, (f/n)." Gunther placed a hand on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and saw the squad looking tense behind him, peering out at an oncoming horde of titans. 

Levi came over, looking down at me with flashing eyes. "We're about to deal with the coming titans. You stay put. Don't think if you run, I won't be able to catch you."

I held his gaze and said nothing. 

"Heichou, they're coming!" Petra cried. 

Levi shot me one last look before they all leaped from the branch, swinging down below, blades glinting in the sunlight. I watched as they worked together as a team, relying soundlessly on each other. Their coordinated efforts were extraordinary; I never learned that kind of cooperation. I never needed to. 

I turned and faced the mountains again. The rocky ridges resonated with my spine as I felt a chill flow down it. I thought of slipping away, gliding over the dale and winding between the arches, searching for him. I wanted to press my fingers into his skull, wear him down with the hatred in my eyes. _Why did you do it?_

The wind exhaled along my skin, lifting strands of my (h/c) hair, as mountain passes filtered through my mind. I felt my fingers twitch as I imagined myself venturing down them. I became consumed with the peaks I saw in my head that all sound behind from Levi and his squad faded into silence. As I sat there, alone on the branches, I could hear the wind clashing against the face of stone. 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

We slew the coming titans and broke their ranks like water against rock- though, on the horizon, we continued to see movement as more made their way East, towards us. My squad waited, perched on the boughs with their gear latched tightly in the bark, and I looked up to the branch (f/n) was left on, only to find it empty. 

_She really wants to test my fucking patience._ I darted upwards swiftly, landing gracefully on the wood of the pine, my eyes narrowing in anger as I scoured where (f/n) had been to see if she left any trace. 

"Alright?" 

I swiveled my head around only to find her nestled near the edge, facing the distance as it broke through the canopy. She looked at me curiously. "Thought I'd run off, did you?" 

"Tch. I know there's no way for you to get down from here. Just wanted to make sure you weren't doing anything stupid, brat." 

Her usually snarky demeanor has rescinded, and for the first time I could see gentle traces of sadness cloud her (e/c) eyes. She quietly turned back to look at the mountains. In all my time living in the walls, in the underground, I'd never seen anyone look so fondly on their origins before. 

Looking back over the Western vale, far-off titans still crossed leagues to reach us here in the forest. A cloud of dust rose over their crossing; the ground beneath trembled at their slow approach. I saw in the eyes of my squad members the same anxiety and fear that grips us all in the face of thundering bloodlust. And yet, there (f/n) sat, without a care as to what loomed behind, gazing only at the mountains ahead. 

I hesitantly knelt down beside her. She didn't acknowledge me. "Why do you like the mountains so much, anyway?" 

"Created by the mountains and tempered by the cold." Her eyes were unwavering. 

"What the hell does that mean?" 

She finally turned and looked at me, her chin resting against her shoulder. "It's a quote from an old book we had, in my village," she said. 

That's how it was to be- information of her past gradually dripping from her in conversation, information we so desperately needed that she held onto so resistantly. "Didn't think your people had enough history for books, what with how cruddy and small your village looked." 

"It wasn't the first village my people settled." She turned back to the view. "We called ourselves travelers and vagabonds. We walked far and wide, building house and fire when night descended, leaving at dawn on the days when the stream dried or the crop failed. Our lives were as inconsistent as the land we created it on." 

"Tch. Sounds like a pain in the ass." 

"At least we never got tired of the view." Her eyes clouded, and a far-away lust creeped into her (e/c) irises. "I can recall the sting of cold rock, the snow blanketing my hair, the wind like breaths of ice against my cheek." She looked at me with a sense of conviction I dare say I came close to admiring. "You want to know who we are?" 

"It's the only reason why you're here." 

She smiled at me again, her eyes accenting the light that grew in her expression. "We're nomads that like living on top of the world." 

I felt something stir in my chest as my mind grew hazy under a whirlwind of thoughts. Looking back, I saw my squad still perched on the sides of trees, anxiously awaiting the coming horde of titans in the distance. I cursed under my breath at the confliction (f/n) caused in me. _It's probably for the best._

"Fuck it," I muttered, taking her hand. 

"What are you doing?" 

I stood and lifted her up. "Just shut it and hold on to me," I said. 

She tentatively wrapped her arms around my waist, and using my ODM gear, we flew into motion, zipping through the trees. The surprised calls of my squad members sounded behind us but still I glided through the wood, (f/n)'s body pressed tightly against mine. Even though the wind whipped past my ears, I could hear her laughter. It was softened by the breeze but echoed in my head, and the magnetic lure of her joy caused the ends of my lips to curl in a slight smile. 

We landed softly on the ground, at the Southernmost tip of the forest. 

"Tch, you really enjoy that, don't you?"

Her eyes were shining when she looked at me, tendrils of (e/c) furled in her delight. "I'm from the mountains," she said. "If the sierras were given the chance to walk, they'd ask to fly, instead." She looked out over the horizon. "Why'd you bring me here, anyway?" 

I thought for a while, before giving a little sigh. "So you can go back home." 

She turned to me promptly in surprise. "What?" 

"What? You think I enjoy sitting around listening to you mope about your home and the mountains and the wind and the snow and every other damn thing?" Her expression didn't change. "Stop looking at me like that. I'm not doing this for you, I just want some fucking peace and qui-" 

(f/n) came and embraced me, her arms wrapped around tightly. I stood for a moment, dumbfounded, before hesitantly placing my hands on her shoulders. As she broke free, she placed a tender kiss on my cheek. 

"Thank you," she said. 

I just nodded, nervously rubbing a hand along the back of my neck. "Right. I mean, I didn't do it for you." 

She gave me another smile before turning around, heading out into the valley, to the ridges she so frequently longed for. 

"You know," she said after a few steps, looking at me over her shoulder, "I still don't care for the Cornered City, but I'm glad I met you, Captain Levi." 

I watched as she left, slowly dwindling among the landscape, feeling strangely disappointed at her departure. I didn't know why I felt a frown growing over my face as she disappeared among the hills, a steadily growing pain eating away at my chest- or maybe, I just didn't want to think about the reason. 

☾ ☾ ☾


	10. Thunder

Levi's POV: 

"You let her go?" Eld's face contorted in shock. "Captain, why?" 

"Erwin's not going to be too fond of this," Oluo mumbled, shaking his head. 

"Screw Erwin," I spat, and they all looked at me in concern. 

"Heichou, are you okay?" Petra asked. "You're acting a little..." 

"Stressed." Gunther crossed his arms and eyed me curiously. "Why did you let her go, Captain?" 

I looked down at the titans that gathered by the tree, mindlessly clawing at the wood, their hunger seeping into their glazed eyes. 

"She got on my nerves." 

They looked at me doubtfully. The air hung thick between us all as we considered what would happen next, what Erwin or Hange would think. The only chance we were given to learn about how people can live beyond the walls diminished as she walked further away, somewhere in the wild. The unanswered questions that she conjured began to plague my thoughts, now that I'd never find their resolution. We never learned why her skin remained unblemished under fire, why she was poisoned the night her village burned, what haunted her dreams. I considered even the questions we didn't know to ask, given how secretive she was. 

We were pulled from our thoughts at the sudden sound of crashing rock, loud as though the sky had opened its maw with a terrible bellow. It rumbled from the East, from Shiganshina, followed by the tumbling quakes of what sounded like falling stone. 

"What the fuck was that?" Eld cried. 

We stood in a dazed quiet. I could see the same thoughts fluttering behind the eyes of my squad. 

"It sounded like..." Gunther trailed off. 

The sequential fire of flares echoed in the trees, and tendrils of blue smoke trickled down from above the forest. 

"Fuck," I hissed. "We'll retreat along the Northern flank of the woods." I eyed my squad members carefully. Their expressions were tattered and terrified. I hoped I didn't look nearly as torn as they did, though I felt my blood quicken under my skin, my mind spinning as it considered the cause of the tremors. 

"Let's go! Now!" 

☾ ☾ ☾ 

(f/n)'s POV: 

I knelt before the collected dust of my homes, my bodies. I listened as the wind carried bits of my village away in each breath, scattering what remained of my people along the range, the breeze a pastor performing their last rites. The smell in the air was a mixture of their demise and nature around unwavering in its approach. 

I closed my eyes, my legs fusing with the earth, my mind dispersing towards the sky. I had spent too long a time behind their walls, away from myself; however briefly I stayed with them in their cage, the surrounding pen bore into my resolve. Curiosity beckoned me to remain, but no longer. There was nothing left for me there, just as there was nothing here, on the hill I once lived upon. 

My thoughts burdened my shoulders, but I cast them away. I needed a moment of being present, again- a mortal carrier of skin and bone, stretching my physical body toward a temporal state of mind. I felt the space around me hesitate; the wind let alone my hair; the grass ceased in tracing circles along my skin. The matter surrounding me fizzled, little strings reaching from one atom to the next, until I was submerged in a growing network. 

Then, I opened my eyes, and let loose my hold on the molecules around. Though I looked to the mountains softly, dreaming of living among its crevasses and sitting upon its edges, I knew what I had to do. I knew I had to find you and deliver our people from what you have done. The blood you spilled here once pulsed through veins for your accord, powering thoughts of care and affection you deliberately spited. I will find you and you will look upon my arrival with dread, my hatred tearing you apart from the insides of your bones. Your golden eyes will melt under my fire. 

I stood and passed their bodies as I headed to our house. I whispered words that wished well their passing but didn't look upon their corpses. I knew the torment you subjected them to was reflected in their posture, and I refused the torment I'd receive just from laying eyes upon it. 

As I set foot in our once embracing home, now crumbled and left alone, I thought of him. You held me here, whispered to me phrases of adoration, kissed me in places that made my eyes roll white, and yet, his fleeting memory overpowers yours. Irises of steel, his grey eyes, replaces my memories of gold. 

I walk to the corner and lift the floorboard; it grew soft and cold after being licked by the flames days past, but what it hid beneath stayed intact. From the shadows I lifted my sword, its tip rising high above to catch the glint from the passing sun, and my bow, the etchings on the pale wood familiar under my caressing fingers. I clasped sword to my hip, bow to my back, and returned the way I came, leaving our house under the shadow of the mountain. 

I took a last breath, my nose stinging under the smell of wilting crops and the rotting bodies of their farmers, as I looked to the mountain pass you went down years ago. 

But I didn't step forward. The roar of crashing rock came from behind, the ground below shivering at its sound. I turned back and saw smoke rising from the edge of the Cornered City. His grey eyes flashed in my mind, and you were forgotten as I flew towards the walls, thinking only of seeing him one more time, alive.

☾ ☾ ☾


	11. Lightning

Levi's POV: 

It took us long hours before the walls came into view. We saw the smoke before we could see the stone rise above the horizon. I could hear the uneasy murmurs as they sounded around me- we all had an idea forming in our minds of what happened, but seeing the gaping chasm where the wall once stood solid and firm chipped away at what little hope remained. 

Cries of disbelief rippled along the ranks. The giant rift in the wall presented itself to us, growing in size as we neared, as though it were the open jaws of our imminent failure. I thought about what (f/n) had said with the walls not lasting forever. Her words echoed in my head as though she spoke them right behind me. 

_What does it matter?_ I thought bitterly. _She left, back to where she wanted to be all along. She never wanted to help us in the first place._

I started to get angry. At the tear in the wall, I felt hopeless, and at (f/n)'s departure, I felt dejected. Thinking back on what I had done, and what I had said, I grew hateful of myself and my pitiful decisions. I let (f/n) go, and now, I returned with the others to a broken kingdom, slowly crumbling at the edges. We were taking refuge behind thatch walls from the coming storm as it effortlessly swept aside wood and stone. We were foolish to depend on anything but ourselves. 

I was foolish to let her go. 

☾ ☾ ☾

Erwin's POV: 

I was in shock about what happened to the walls while we were away, but still, I kept my pace and led the formation. 

As we neared what remained of the gate, the titans grew more and more numerous, crowding around the crack like flies around a wound. It didn't take long for the outliers to notice our approach and split the ranks in their sudden attack. I called for the side flanks to fend them off, but it was no use- the titans were too many. They came like a flood, overwhelming the scouts, entrapping my soldiers in their grip and killing them before my eyes. 

I fired a green flare, steering my horse to the West. "Scouts!" I called. "Make for the West side of the wall!"

Levi rode beside me, seething in anger. He looked grudgingly at the titans, at the wall, the corners of his eyes crinkling in accumulating hatred. 

"It's no use," he spat. "The titans are going to mow through more than half of our ranks."

I turned to him, about to tell him it was impossible to get through the gate, when I saw him tapping the gas gauge on his ODM gear, readying his blades as he eyed the nearest titan. "Levi, no! Stay in the formation!"

My words were unheeded as he flew into action. His speed made his movements incomprehensible, spinning among the titans, edged in sharpened metal that pelted the ground in evaporating blood. 

While he kept the titans at bay, his furious and relentless movements caused furls of smoke to swarm behind him. He was using too much gas. 

"Dammit, Levi, get back in formation!" I cried. 

Whether he chose to ignore me or was rendered deaf under his rage, I didn't know. He continued to zip through them, the ground shaking as they collapsed, quivering as he exacted his anger. 

"He'll be fine!" Hange called. "Levi can take care of himself! Erwin, you must lead the formation to the West so we can get over the walls safely!"

I forced my eyes ahead, racing along the grassland with what remained of the scouts, the sounds of Levi felling the titans behind. I had to think about what was best for the regiment, for those who remained after the mission, but I couldn't stop clenching my teeth at Levi's outburst, worrying for his wellbeing. What the hell was he thinking, anyway? 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

I sliced its nape and landed heavily on the dirt- the ground shook as it fell behind me, expelled wind kicking up my cloak. I stood there for a while as my breathing racked my chest. I saw Erwin and the scouts racing West in an attempt to go over the walls with their gear rather than through the gate. 

_Dammit, what the hell came over me? I haven't lost it like that since..._

The earth shook as more titans came my way. I gritted my teeth at their approach. _There's so many of them. What even happened here? How did that hole get in the wall?_

Turning to face the nearing onslaught, I counted at least twenty of them, probably more in the back following. I looked at my gas gauge and hesitated; I was empty. 

"Great," I muttered. 

I swapped my blades and eyed the coming titans steadily. It didn't worry me that I couldn't use my gear- rather, it annoyed me thinking about how much longer this was going to take. 

The first few titans came close enough to where I widened my stance and readied myself, when suddenly, a thundering flash flew by, leaving behind a trail of splattered flesh. The titans fell before my feet as I watched the shape swirl among the rest of them, slicing until the air was tinted red from the spray of blood. They fell, one after the other, sending tremors along the earth, their evaporating corpses coveting the surrounding lands in a hazy mist. 

I watched as a shadow darkened in the grey, making their way towards me. The smoke parted, and I saw her emerge, steam wafting off her skin where titan blood had splattered upon. She held a great sword in her hand, and her (e/c) eyes were focused and piercing; I thought I saw bolts of white flash through her glare, and around her the air seemed to shimmer. 

"(f/n)?" I felt my voice quiver slightly as my posture loosened. I must've looked like an idiot. "Wh-" 

"You got a fucking death wish, Ackerman?" The anger in her voice caused my muscles to tense. She approached me, the tip of her sword scraping the earth behind, until her eyes were inches away from mine. Seeing her more clearly, I caught distinct glimpses of lights passing through her irises like flashes of lightning. The space surrounding her form looked faintly crystalline, like the air had been condensed, creating fingers of mineral and matter that glimmered as they laced about her. 

"What the hell is this?" I backed away, the caution returning to my stance. 

Her eyes never left mine. She stood there, menacing and foreign, and for the first time, I felt intimidated.

☾ ☾ ☾


	12. The Reaper

(f/n)'s POV: 

Levi stood in front of me, his eyes narrowed with slivers of confusion and what looked like fear. His knuckles turned white from how hard he clenched the handles of his blades. I heard the rumbling of horses in the distance as they made their way further West. The horde of titans was at bay, for now- I didn't hear their footfalls. 

"Stop gawking," I snapped, turning my eyes on Levi. He still stood there, his wary glare never leaving me. "I can manage the titans. Go back to your squad and get the hell out of here." 

I turned and headed for the gate. I decided I'd clear the crowd as they gathered, pushing their way into the Cornered City. After letting me go on his own conscience, I felt it was the least I could do before I left this place. 

"Wait," Levi called. He approached me slowly, hesitating before he got too close. I could tell he turned a few thoughts over in his mind, thinking about what to say. "Come with me." 

I felt my body stiffen at his words. "What, so I can become a test subject for you people?" Traces of anger began to seep into my words, so I looked back at the gate, trying to compose myself. "I came back because I felt I owed you after what you did. Don't think my return means anything beyond that." 

He came up and stood beside me, the both of us watching as the smoke dissipated, showing the wall and its scar clearer in the diminishing haze. I noticed that he had loosened his posture, and his previously defensive stance was gone. It was as if he chose to ignore what he saw. 

"We both know something changed," he said. "You've grown to be softer. Maybe being in the walls, as brief a time as it was, altered your prejudice against us." 

I was quiet for a moment. "Maybe."

My body tensed as I felt his hand on my shoulder. "Come with us," he said again. His grey eyes held no semblance of emotion. "You know I wouldn't ask you if the goal was to just cut you open. I'm not that twisted, you know."

"I can't. There's things I need to take care of." I stepped away from his grip. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you just want me around."

He froze and looked away shamefully, as if showing any sense of vulnerability was a slight against himself. "Tch. Look around you. We could use the help. Besides, you had an irritating reverence for the mountains. Don't think I'm asking for the benefit of your company."

"Had? You speak as if you don't think I long for them anymore." 

He turned and met my eyes at this. "You came back, didn't you? Besides, when you showed up you looked almost as pissed off as I was. I think it's safe to say something changed with your plans earlier to live like a hedonistic hippie." 

I hesitated under his scrutinizing steel eyes. "There's someone I need to see," I said curtly. 

"Who?" 

"That's not important." 

His eyes flared in annoyance. "You know what, (f/n)? Keep to yourself, I won't push anymore. Go on and seek your revenge- must be worth it in the end if they rack up this much fury." 

He turned and headed West, where the rest of the scouts had disappeared. I watched him as he left, Humanity's Strongest Soldier, returning to the crumbling domain of his people. His walk was slow and defeated as those he sought to protect were butchered, as those who considered him a hero, a beacon in the shade, became fodder under the slaughter once held at bay. When the wall broke, a rift was created in what little promise these people had, just as it was created in stone. 

I knew upon hearing the dam break that the time had finally come, one my people hypothesized of since we settled in the neighboring hills- one Grim had frequently mentioned as he looked to the City with distaste. Every instinct fired up inside of me, urging me to follow in his steps until I held his face in my hands, my hatred at his betrayal shattering whatever sense of purpose drove him to his misdeeds. I felt my grip tighten on the hilt of my blade as I imagined impaling him with it. 

Suddenly, shades of grey passed through my mind. I never really was able to tell what he thought each time he looked at me, but the depth in his gaze always made me soften mine. I almost hated him for it. 

My anger subsided as I looked at his city, falling into ruins. He always acted cold, detached, but he had shown me a level of kindness I never imagined to be graced with, especially here. He let me return home against the betterment of his people. I wonder why he came to do such a thing, something so selfless, so considerate. It seemed entirely out of his character- perhaps, under his shell, there existed a person I didn't see, someone I couldn't even imagine. 

_Grim isn't worth my hatred, but maybe he is worth my aid._

I felt my muscles tense as they became invigorated with a new sense of purpose. The air around me fizzled in electricity as I made my way towards the gate, my blade scraping at the dirt behind me. As I neared, titans began to break their ranks, lunging for me like beasts. I lifted my sword, propping it up against my shoulder, resolved to clear the gate to the Cornered City, and rid the lands of this plague.

"So," I mumbled, casting a level eye at each of the coming titans, "who's first?"

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

I walked along the Western side of the wall. My head raced with thoughts- (f/n) had returned, as short a time as she did, but she was different. She wasn't at all what we thought, and her capabilities seemed to far exceed what we previously believed possible. I wondered why she didn't try to escape when we first found her and brought her back with us. Maybe she was just as curious about us as we were about her. 

A call brought me back to my senses, and I saw Hange, among others, waving down at me from up on the wall. She swung down with some extra canisters, and once my gear was working again, I followed her up. We sat on the edge, overlooking Shiganshina as it lay in ruins. 

"Wall Maria was breached, too," she said quietly. "Erwin took a few other scouts with him to oversee the evacuation process behind Wall Rose." 

"What happened?" 

Hange looked at me, her eyes practically glowing in twisted excitement. "Reports mention a colossal titan that broke the outer wall, and an armored titan burst through Wall Maria." Her lips curled in a wide smile. "Can you believe it... we've never encountered titans like this before... do you have any idea how this changes the prospects of future research?" 

"You're drooling." 

I cringed as Hange wiped trails of saliva from her chin. "Whoops, got a little carried away... anyway, what happened to you?" 

I considered how much I wanted to tell her. It didn't matter if I brought up (f/n) at this point. She probably already left, so anything I claim to have seen can't be backed by any evidence. _It was all fucking useless._

"Tch, I just lost it, I guess. I'm fed up with all this titan business. We think we get to a point where we can get by, and then some shit goes south like it usually does. It's getting tiring." 

Hange put a hand on my shoulder. "Whenever things go south, we always end up learning from it! Just think of it as an opportunity." 

"An opportunity that cost hundreds of lives." 

Hange's grip on my shoulder tightened. "We live in difficult times, Levi. Moping about our losses is a waste of our efforts." 

I shrugged out of her grip. "I thought that's what made us human." 

"Well," Hange stood. "Maybe we're on the losing side because our humanity holds us back. Come on, we should get back to headquarters- I'm sure Erwin's going to want to speak with you." 

As we walked along the walls, I watched the smoke rise from Shiganshina's ruin. My nose burned from the ashen smell, and I was reminded of the girl that smelled like fire. I could see her in my mind, eyes ablaze with traces of lightning, air around her shimmering in anticipation. She looked wild, and angry, pulling her great sword behind her as she walked. I wondered who it was she wanted to exact her revenge on, and whether they knew the Reaper was on their trail. 

☾ ☾ ☾


	13. By the Pond

Levi's POV:

"It's unacceptable, Levi," Erwin scolded. I leaned on the wall beside him as he sat at his desk, eyeing me in disappointment. "You could've gotten people killed, including yourself. You can't show that level of unrestraint in such a paramount situation."

"I know, Erwin," I muttered. "It was a moment of weakness after seeing the walls."

"The walls?" Erwin frowned. Doubt was written in the furrows of his expression. "You've been acting on edge ever since you mentioned that you let (f/n) go."

"What are you suggesting?" I narrowed my eyes. 

"I'm suggesting that as an esteemed soldier in the Scouts Regiment, when you're on the field, your thoughts need to be on the task at hand, and nothing else. We're in a war, Ackerman, not some romantic fan fiction plot."

I slammed my hands on his desk. "I made a mistake, alright? This has nothing to do with (f/n). You question my capabilities as Captain at the slightest mention of her!"

There came the sound of awkward coughing in the corner of the room. Me and Erwin directed our furious glares at Hange, sitting uncomfortably in her seat. "Um...should I leave?" 

Erwin sighed. "No, I'd like to talk to you about the titan reports. Levi, you're dismissed. Keep a level head." 

I cursed under my breath as I stormed out of his office. I decided to step outside for a moment and regain my composure. 

I passed the stables and followed the woodland path, ending up in the same clearing that sat beneath the towering wall. Darkness was draped over the world as night descended. I sat on the same hill me and (f/n) sat on days prior, the wind caressing the surrounding tree line, chiming along to the faint tune of insects and chatter in the distance. 

I lay on my back and closed my eyes. It was nice, being alone out here, in the quiet. Thunder hummed on the horizon, and when I looked skyward, I saw flashes of lightning outlining the curls of passing clouds. I could see her (e/c) eyes in the sky, her stern gaze alight as threads of electricity wove through her irises. 

_Why the hell does my mind keep running back to her? This is fucking stupid,_ I thought. I didn't know why she stayed in my head- she was stubborn and rude, and she never kept herself clean. Her clothes were always caked in dirt, her hair a mess of tangles. She presented herself like a wild animal, and yet, every time she looked at me with those eyes, I felt my breath catch. Even then, when her appearance was a thing of nightmares, when her eyes glowed and the air around gathered like fragments of glass, I still felt my breath catch. 

_It must be because I'm curious,_ I thought approvingly. _It's the only explanation. I keep thinking about her because I want to know about her people, about her abilities, her past. I want to know what she's capable of, what she knows that can help humanity, what her lips feel like._

I sat up in frustration. "Tch, what the fuck is wrong with me," I muttered. "Why can't I get you out of my head?"

"Erwin plaguing your thoughts as much as he's plaguing mine?" 

I recognized that voice, and of course, I fucking froze. I looked and saw her standing there, leaning against the bark of a tree. Her sword was attached to her hip now, and that strange aura around her before was gone. 

"What? How did you get here?" I fumbled awkwardly. 

It was dark, but I thought I could see the edges of her mouth curling up in a slight smile. "Come on," she said, and headed into the forest. _How long was she standing there for?_

I stood and followed her, the shade of the trees darker under the empty night sky. 

"Where are you taking me?"

"Shut up."

And there it was. Already she was getting under my skin, causing me to bite my tongue in annoyance. 

~

We walked for a few minutes until she led me to a part of the woods with a fetid pond. Its smell caused me to curl my nose in disgust.

"Well, you didn't take me here for the scenery," I muttered. 

She sat down on a wooden log and adjusted her weaponry before gesturing me to sit beside her. "Actually," she started, "that's precisely why I chose this spot."

I sat next to her, looking at her carefully as she lazily eyed the pond. "In the mountains, we don't have bodies of water like this one. The ice always keeps water moving along the slopes. It never has time to collect and grow stagnant."

"Tch. Again with the mountains." 

"My point," she hissed, shooting me a look, "is that down here, if you stay in the same place, you'll remain longer, sure- but you'll grow sour. If you keep moving, while there's an uncertainty as to where you'll wind up, you'll be clearer, freer. It's a hell of a ride, too."

"Then why do you keep coming back?" I spat.

She looked to me in amusement. "Nostalgia, maybe? Or maybe I just can't get enough of you."

I felt the heat rush to my cheeks and turned away. "Very funny, brat," I muttered.

She touched me on the arm, making me look at her. "I thought about what you said." Her eyes were sincere. "This person isn't worth my time. Getting revenge won't change what they've done." Her eyes shifted to look down, growing sad, and pulled away from me. I thought about giving her words of comfort, but I knew that would only make her uneasy. 

She quickly straightened herself, all traces of emotion disappearing from her gaze. "I decided I'd spend my efforts on you, on someone who's shown me a side of compassion. So, I'm here, and I'll help how I can." 

"What happened to living in the mountains?" 

"That part of my life is over," she said simply. "Besides, whenever I get homesick, I'll just find you to talk about it." 

"Great." I stood up and looked back the way we came. "Come on, Erwin's going to want to talk to you, and I can't stand the smell anymore." 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

I grew slightly nervous at the sight of their headquarters looming over us as we got closer. We passed a few soldiers on the way, all eyeing me curiously. I must've been quite the sight, sword tied to my waist and bow strung to my back. I heard whispers about my appearance ruffle along the crowds around us, most of which were silenced when Levi shot them his signature glare. 

"Easy, boy," I said, to which he directed his glare down at me. 

"I don't like it when you refer to me like I'm some kind of dog," he snapped. 

"You should really manage your temper. Who cares what they say about me, anyway? I wouldn't be here if I worried about such menial things." 

He grunted and continued to lead me through the grounds, winding up the stairs and hallways until finally, we stopped in front of a nicely polished wooden door. 

"Leave the talking to me," he said, eyeing me with those steel eyes. 

"As you wish."

He pushed open the door without knocking, showing a concentrated Erwin sitting at his desk. He lifted his eyes up to us, gaze widening in shock as he saw me standing beside Levi. 

"(f/n)? Levi, what's this?" 

Levi went and sat in the chair in front of his table, me standing behind, arms folded over my chest. 

"(f/n) showed up, getting through the gates by claiming she's part of our regiment. After today's events, she'd like to offer us her help, this time on her own accord." 

I cast Levi a look from the corner of my eyes; it surprised me that he decided to keep my abilities a secret from his Commander. Although, I wasn't complaining. I'd appreciate the time to settle in before I disclosed myself like an open book. 

Erwin eyed the both of us suspiciously. He probably sensed that there was more to the story but decided not to push his luck. "I see," he said calmly. "Well, on behalf of the regiment, I'd like to offer my thanks, (f/n). We need all the help we can get during these trying times." 

"There's something I'd like to ask," I said, being met by both Erwin and Levi's curious glances. 

"Go on," Erwin pressed. 

"I'd like to have my own room this time." I shot Levi a knowing look. "With a sturdy lock."

☾ ☾ ☾


	14. The Sword

(f/n)'s POV: 

"Why the hell are you putting me in the room right next to yours?" I hissed. Levi had led me to my room, and to my disdain, it was right beside his own. "I came to you out of my own will- is that not enough to prove I'm at least somewhat trustable?" 

"It's not about that," he snapped. He came in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "We both know what I saw out there in the field," he said. "Consider this a precaution. Besides," he leaned back, looking at me with an expressionless gaze. "You got your wish- you've got your own room now, so stop bothering me." 

He turned and headed to his room, leaving me standing there in the hallway, alone and fuming. I suppose I did ask for this, leaving my past behind, coming here offering my help, but dammit if their excess worrying didn't make me agitated. 

I stalked into my room, locking the door behind me. They gave me a setup unlike Levi or Erwin's- I didn't have an attached office space, just a bedroom and bathroom with a few bookshelves stacked in the corners. 

Laying my weapons on the bed, I ran a finger across the spine of my sword, thinking about where I had come from, and where I currently was. 

~ 

I'd been reading a book detailing previous scouting missions, noticing the intentional ambiguity meant to shroud certain things privately, when a knocking came at my door. I opened it to see an overtly excited expression, accented by widely framed glasses. 

"Hange," I sighed expectantly. 

"(f/n)! It's so good to have you back," she exclaimed. "May I come in? I noticed the light and figured I'd try my luck." 

I stepped aside to let her in the room, sliding the lock in place after she positioned herself on the couch. 

"I didn't peg you as the anxious type," she said amusedly. 

"I'd prefer the term private," I said shortly, sitting down beside her. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Hange's smile widened. "So polite, when you choose to be!" She gave a chuckle and took my hand, much to my discomfort. "I wanted to get to know you a little better, (f/n), seeing as you'll be staying with us for a while."

"Well," I said quietly, withdrawing my hand and putting it in my lap. "What would you like to know?"

Her wide eyes glistened under the flickering firelight, considering the questions she had, the questions she wanted to start with. 

She picked up the book I had been reading. "You like to read?"

"I do."

"What do you like to read?"

"I enjoy poetry and scripture."

She eyed my weapons as they lay on my bedspread, jumping up to examine them closely. "This sword is professionally crafted," she breathed, tracing the runes carved into its base. "What does this mean?"

"It's a line of text from our religious manuscript." I watched her intently as she examined my blade. "Roughly translated, it says 'Guardian of the Cordillera'."

"You were a soldier?"

"More or less. Sentry is more fitting."

Her eyes shifted to my bow. "Did you hunt?"

"The women of my village tracked game in the hills," I said steadily. "That was given to me by my mother." She looked at me and I believe she pondered questions to ask about my family but thought against it after seeing my growing uneasiness. 

Hange came and sat down next to me again, her eyes focused and serious. "Did you come back because of Levi?"

"Yes."

She adorned a shocked expression at my candor. 

"Not in the way you think," I added. "He made me realize my earlier pursuits were unnecessary, and I felt my time would be better spent here, helping the person who tried to help me."

"Right." Hange started to smile. "He's growing to be quite fond of you, you know."

"Curiosity tends to influence such things."

"No, no." She put a hand on my leg, causing me to stiffen at the contact. "Curiosity makes people possessive. Anyone else here would've kept you from leaving by any means necessary. It's something else, some other fixation, that causes you to act selflessly, to let people go."

I sat by quietly, unable to answer what she just suggested. 

"Well, I won't make you any more uncomfortable than I already have." She took her hand off my leg and stood up, making her way to the door. "Who knows, maybe he's just narcissistic and is drawn to you because of how similar you two are. Or, maybe it's because you're alike and different in the ways that count. Either way," she flashed me a grin and gave me a wave, "I'll see you tomorrow at breakfast, (f/n)! Thanks for the talk. Don't think I won't come back for more."

~ 

After Hange left, I decided to take a shower. In the village, we bathed in the running stream that came down from the ice caps at the pinnacle, so I didn't know how to work the dials. I gasped when I felt the hot water sting my back. The water I usually used to wash was below freezing, so once I figured out how to alter the temperature, I made it as cold as it could go. It was still a bit warm for my taste. 

I changed into a set of clothes provided in the wardrobe and climbed into bed. It still surprised me that I had chosen to come here, but I believe I made the right choice. I slept with my sword in the space beside me- it made me feel safer in this foreign place. 

☾ ☾ ☾

Unknown's POV: 

We followed the trail that led through the mountains to the village, until the crumbled sight came into view. 

"This better be worth it," he muttered, his silver hair hanging over his furrowed brow. 

"Believe me," I said. "This sword is worth more than your life." 

Passing the ruined houses, I felt a pain grow steadily in my chest. I could almost recognize the bodies lain on the ground, despite the burns. No disguise or deformity hindered me from recognizing my family. Their memory was strongly engrained in my mind like carvings on stone, and their corpses seethed at me because of my misdoings. The hill itself that I had lived on turned against me, its shadow spiting at my passing image. 

Around the corner, our house came into view, scarred and broken. As the wind caressed the rotting wood, the creaks and moans whispered to me of their sadness, their heartbreak. I felt my eyes water at the sight and dreaded seeing her inside. 

"Grim?" The silver-haired man slapped me on the back. "Get a move on, will you? This is no time to fall prey to your remorse. What's done is done. Get the sword and let's get out of here." 

I warily stepped inside, ducking beneath the arch of the door frame, and froze. Her body was gone. I ran over to her cache, only to find that it had been emptied. My mind raced with feelings of surprise, relief, and anger. 

Going back outside, I was met with their confused and irritated glares. "Where's the fucking sword, Grim?" 

"It's gone," I breathed. "She's not in there, either. She's alive, and she must've taken it." 

Their eyes widened. 

"You better be joking." He stormed up to me, his fiery eyes hard and unwavering as strands of silver hair shrouded parts of his fury. "Do you have any idea what this means? We need to find her, Grim- you need to find her."

"I have no idea where she could've gone!" I cried. "There's no way to-"

I hesitated, and turned to look at the Cornered City, distant and far away down the valley. I clenched my teeth as I realized she was there, living among sheep, blending in with the vermin we once despised. 

"I'll find her."

☾ ☾ ☾


	15. Target Practice

Levi's POV: 

I awoke in the early morning, unable to sleep, and decided to get some of my paperwork out of the way. The sunlight trickled in through the windows, brushing against the hardwood floor, and the sound of pen on paper was accented with the wind ruffling through leaves and birdsong. I was comfortable in the quiet, and as I worked my mind drifted to thinking about eyes racked with lightning, shimmering air like parcels of cracked glass. 

The silence was disturbed by a door opening and closing in the room beside, and I heard footsteps disappearing down the hall. _What is she doing awake at this hour?_

I sighed and stood up to grab my coat, exasperated at both the unfinished workload piled on my desk and the constant need to watch over our newest member. She probably went outdoors somewhere, so I headed over to the training grounds. 

~ 

The fields were deserted. Light winds kicked up swirls of dust, and the targets creaked in the breeze. I scanned the tree line, looking for any signs of movement. _Where could she have gone?_

I stifled a groan as I figured she must've gone someplace in the forest when something whistled past my ear. I felt the fleeting wind along the curve in my neck and turned to see an arrow jutting out from the center of one of the targets. 

Directing my glare in the direction it came from, I saw (f/n) sitting on a rock beneath the shade of a tree, bow in hand. She wore black combat pants and a white tank, her hair piled into a messy up-do. 

"You trying to kill me?" I called angrily. 

"You'd already be dead if I was," she said with a twinkle in her eye. "Are you ever going to stop following me around, dog?" 

I felt myself heat up as she relentlessly got under my skin. I stormed over to where she sat- most grew intimidated when I got frustrated, but she just sat there, looking at me lazily. 

"Listen to me, you insufferable brat," I growled. "I don't understand why you seem hell-bent on making my life difficult, but-" 

"I like you, Levi." 

My words got stuck in my throat at what she said. I felt a slight rush go into my cheeks as I stared down at her, hoping to find some tell in her expression as to where she was going with this. 

"I-I don't-" 

"Man, you get choked up like a deer in lights each time, don't you?" She stood up, leaning closer to me with a curious light in her eyes. "Get your head out of the gutter," she whispered. 

I stepped back. "Tch, get out of my face," I muttered, feeling the heat in my cheeks rise. 

She folded her arms over her chest. "What I meant was I like you more than anyone else here. I'm willing to get to know you better, to tell you more about myself." 

"I'll go get the parade of appreciation," I snapped. 

"Easy, short stack." A small smile began to tug at her lips as I grew furious. "While the rest of your comrades seem like good people, I don't trust my words with them. I know better than to assume they prioritize my wellbeing over the welfare of their own. Who knows what they'll attempt once they learn what I'm capable of?" 

"What makes you think I'm any different?" 

"Because you let me go, dumbass. That wasn't very patriarchal of you." 

I frowned. "How exactly is this supposed to help if everything you say stays between us?" 

"I'll tell them a few things, offer my help in the field, if it's asked for." She strung her bow across her breast. "As for things that are more... private, I'd like to share them with you, and only you- at least, until I feel a bit more comfortable here. Last thing I'd need is someone coming at me with a scalpel in the middle of the night. Besides, I figure with your high ranking and local knowledge, you could put that information to good use." 

"Fine. Whatever," I muttered. 

"Great." She hopped down from the rock and began heading towards headquarters. "You guys got any steak? I'm starving." 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

I curled my nose at the food on my plate. "Vegetables and grains again? Where's the meat?" 

Petra gave a little laugh. "That's kind of a commodity around here," she said. "Especially now that we lost Wall Maria, there's not much to go around."

I sat with Levi's squad members again, still subjugated to their captain's frequent looks in my direction as he sat with the other section commanders. 

"You've got a peculiar getup," Gunther said as he eyed the weapons on my person. "You do a lot of fighting out there?"

"I'm sure you can imagine, what with living among the titans."

"I didn't think bows were effective against them." Oluo gave a snarky chuckle. 

"It's for hunting, smartass." Oluo grew stone faced as his teammates laughed at his expense. 

"We're going to train after this," Eld said. "You should come join if you're up to it. I think I can safely say we all want to see how you handle yourself."

"It's a date." 

Gunther stifled a laugh at Eld's sudden flush in his cheeks, only to stop short with a groan after Eld elbowed him in the ribs. 

~ 

I followed them back out into the training field, now filled with others practicing their combat tactics. They chose an area closer to the tree line, Oluo sitting by watching while Petra paired up with Gunther and Eld coming to stand in front of me. 

"You ready for this, (f/n)?" He asked with a smile, squaring off in his stance. 

I laid my weapons on the ground and returned his gaze levelly. "Bring it on." 

He came at me quickly, drawing back his right arm in preparation. Given his open stance, I swiveled to the left and kicked his right leg out from underneath him, resulting in him face planting rather ungracefully in the dirt. Oluo howled with laughter as he watched, only to be met with Eld's hot glare. 

"You need to try and make your movements more reserved, especially if you're leading the onslaught," I said calmly, approaching his slumped body. "A charging opponent is more predictable than a defensive one. Leave them guessing for as long as possible." 

"Show me, then," Eld growled as he stood up. "You take lead this time." 

We resumed our fighting stance, Eld's expression focused and stern as he eyed my every move cautiously. I lunged at him and twisted around, my right leg raised, aiming for his head. He moved to block, to which I shifted to stand on my right, bringing my left leg up with a swift kick to his ribs. He fall backwards in a huff. 

"That's a cheap trick," Eld spat as laughter sounded around him. 

"It was cheap." Levi had approached us, eyeing me and Eld in a disapproving scowl. 

"I didn't think it mattered, so long as you're the last one standing." I met Levi's cold glare. 

He rolled up his sleeves, keeping his gaze latched onto my own. "It matters, (f/n)," he started, coming to stand in front of me. "Because there's no point in surviving if you're just going to be a scumbag." He lifted his fists up to his jaw, steel eyes shining under the sunlight. Everyone around us went silent, anticipating the match. 

I approached him slowly, our eyes locked on each other. He held back from making the first move- did he consider doing so too risky? I circled him for a while, keeping my hands at my sides, offering him no insight into the tactics I pondered. His eyes were unwavering, and I held onto them insouciantly. 

Then, I darted forward, aiming to strike my knuckles against his jaw- when he moved to block, I brought my knee towards his gut. His instincts were quicker than I pegged, and he instantly moved his hands down to repel my kick. His neck was unguarded, and I wrapped my arm around his shoulders, bringing him down over my leg. He fell on his back with a grunt, and I landed on top of him, my leg against his throat, one arm pinned beneath me and the other held tightly in my grip. 

"You're faster than I thought," I said. The crowd that had gathered erupted in hushed words and gasps of surprise. 

Suddenly, he brought his leg up and kneed me in my side, causing my grip to loosen. He pushed upwards against my shoulders until I fell back, this time with him glowering on top of me. 

"You're slower than I thought," he retorted. That same curious light in his eyes flared even brighter now as he looked down at me. 

"Get off of me," I snapped. 

He stood and helped me up, the both of us patting the dirt off our clothes. His squad rushed over, their expressions excitedly bright. 

"Unbelievable, (f/n)!" Gunther cried. 

"No one's been able to pin Captain Levi before!" Petra clasped my hand as Eld patted me on the shoulder. 

"Tch, her posture was too open for it to last," Levi muttered. 

"Don't like losing, do you?" I asked. 

"I didn't." 

As the crowd broke apart, Levi came up to me. "You've got some skill," he mumbled, coming in close to whisper. "Meet me in my office, tonight." 

☾ ☾ ☾


	16. The Connective Triad

Levi's POV: 

I was sitting at my desk, growing more and more strained under the workload, when a knocking came at my door. It was late in the evening- almost everyone was asleep at this hour. I felt a twinge of excitement as I realized who it was. 

"Come in," I said. 

(f/n) entered, her weapons strapped to her body as usual, and shut the door. She looked at me curiously. 

"Well," she said, coming to sit down in front of my desk. She propped a leg on top of the other and leaned back- her casual demeanor was so unlike what I was used to receiving around here. "What's this about?" 

I stood up, revealing the ODM gear attached to my waist. "I'm holding you to your word," I said. "Come on, brat. Let's see if you've got anything that can help us." 

"Where are you taking me?" 

"Shut up." 

~ 

We walked away from HQ and trekked along the rising hill that fed upwards to the wall. Despite the shadow of darkness that draped over the world, I saw (f/n)'s eyes shine under the glow of the moon, her irises reminiscent of the stars above us. We passed the landscape in silence, and while I valued the quiet, I often found myself wondering what she was thinking. 

We stopped at the base of the wall, looking up at the looming shape that cut into the sky. 

"Just like before," I said, turning to face her. "Hold onto me tightly."

"We're going into titan territory? I thought you people shit your pants at the very mention of them," she mumbled. 

"Tch, I figured you'd like the added privacy. Besides, the louts don't bother much at night."

"I'm well aware." 

She didn't fuss any more than that and wrapped her arms around my chest, her chin resting on my shoulder. I felt my pulse quicken at her touch, and her warm breath on my neck sent shivers down my spine. 

_Get a grip, Romeo._

I latched my anchors into the side of stone, and we flew up and over Wall Rose. I had chosen this particular segment of the wall for the forest that lay just beyond it, and before long we were perched on a wide branch within Wall Maria. We sat down beside each other, looking at the rolling hills glimmering under the moonlight, abandoned roads and farmland dotting the landscape. 

"Beautiful," she breathed, her eyes kissing the view as strands of her (h/c) hair wafted in the breeze along her cheeks. Her bright eyes contrasted with the surrounding shadow, and she sat confident and sure, blade and bow strapped to her figure. She looked as picturesque as the world around her, and just as dangerous. The curvature in her body aligned with those of the valley, her hair with the twisting streams, her quiet breathing like the gentle winds that rocked the weeds. 

Her eyes flickered over to me, and her expression shifted to curiosity. "Why you staring so hard, Ackerman?" 

I looked away. "Nothing, brat." 

"So." She shifted to face me, her eyes softer than usual as she met my gaze. "As I promised, I'm an open book." 

I scanned her irises and the air around her. I'd only seen that strange aura surround her that day in the field, and I haven't seen anything since. "What did I see that day when you returned?" 

She nodded slowly, as if anticipating that I'd ask such a thing. "What you saw was what my people call the connective triad," she said, her eyes flickering over to look back over the landscape. "Meditation, harmony, and unity. It's how we harness this ability born into us. We compose ourselves, regulate our breathing, extend our will into our surroundings, and establish a sense of harmony between us and the world around. After harmony is reached, we unite our minds with the external." 

"And what exactly does this hippie nonsense do?" 

"It does what you saw. It's a form of energy that we can use to directly manipulate surrounding matter. I can connect, elongate and recreate the physical space that engulfs my body." 

I kept my eyes steady on her own. "Show me." 

She took a breath and closed her eyes, and I began to see the air around her fragment with silver strings tearing through the space. She held out her hand, and the threads collected above her palm, forming the stem and petals of a nightshade flower. Her eyes opened, and I saw it again, the phenomenon I saw each day after her return in my dreams- her irises were aglow as pulses of white light dashed through them, like lightning. 

Slowly, the energy faded, and she delicately placed the flower above my ear. "Adorable," she said. 

I plucked the flower from behind my ear in annoyance but turned it over in my hands in wonder. It looked, and felt, like a real flower. 

"How did your people get this ability?" I asked, still fingering the stem. 

"It was forced onto us." Her voice grew hard, and looking up, I saw her expression sink. "My people were lab rats in a faraway place," she said. "According to our village elders, we were bred and tested on to become 'ideal soldiers'. Some scientist's way of playing out their kink, I suppose." 

"Faraway place?" 

"I don't know any more than you do," she said sadly. "All I know is we're not exactly locals here. Where we come from originally, I can't guess." 

She took the flower from my hand and placed it in my breast pocket. "A gift," she said, giving me a rarely seen smile. I felt my cheeks flush seeing her warm expression. 

"I mean," I said curtly, clearing my throat. "As lovely as it is being an overrated gardener, how does this ability make you a better soldier?" 

"Well, think about it more broadly," she said. "I can manipulate matter in an endless amount of ways. I use it to elongate and enlarge my sword if the need arises, I use it to fly to travel more effectively, I could use it to-" 

"Fly?" 

She leaned back. "I can shape the space around my back into attached wings. The only catch is I can't alter present matter that's been conjoined naturally," she said. "I can only add to it with free-flying molecules. I can create, but I can't destroy, and when creating, I can't create life." 

"But you don't have wings now," I said questioningly. 

"I can only disintegrate the molecular bonds I manipulated to fuse together. Anything created outside of me, either by another person's connective triad or by nature, I can't internally alter." 

I took a deep breath, thinking about everything (f/n) just told me. 

"It's a lot to take in," she said quietly. "Just think of it as meditation. Nutty, exaggerated meditation." 

We sat there quietly for a moment, staring at the landscape, thinking about what was said between us. I found it ironic how I often compared her wild temperament to nature, considering she's always been just as powerful, and unpredictable. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

I felt uneasy given what I had just disclosed to Levi. I did promise him I would offer an answer to his questions after what he's done for me, but still, the vulnerability I felt at the current moment made my muscles tense. I direly hoped he would keep to his word and refrain from telling others until I decided I was comfortable enough, but being put in a position where I depended on his good character alone made me all the more uncomfortable. 

"(f/n)," he finally said, sensing my body language. He took my hand, and at his touch, I didn't stiffen or move away- rather, it felt quite nice. "I promised you I wouldn't tell the others, and that promise still stands." 

I looked at him and our eyes locked. His usually hard, steel gaze was kind, and soft. His raven hair drifted along his brow under the breeze, and for the first time, I felt my heart beat a little quicker in my chest. 

"Thank you," I whispered. 

He started to lean in closer towards me, and I felt myself responding in a way I didn't think I would. His face was so close to mine I almost felt the heat radiating off his skin. His eyes flickered down to my lips before returning to hold my gaze. I felt his hand move up my arm, brushing against my neck as he cupped my cheek. 

A birdcall sounded overhead, causing us both to jump in surprise. I pulled back a little, a small smile tugging at my lips as I realized what almost happened between us. "That was cl-" 

He wrapped his hands around the back of my head and pulled me in aggressively. As soon as I felt his lips on mine, I lost all previous reservations and delved into it completely. He ran his fingers through my hair as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pushing myself up against his body as we sat there on the tree, intertwined and lost in a fury of passion. 

We finally broke apart, gasping for breath. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," he said, a genuine smile breaking the usually sullen expression. 

"What a beautiful smile," I responded with a smile of my own. I gently kissed his forehead, running my fingers through his dark hair. I still had him wrapped in my arms, his own clasped around my waist. He brought his head down and rested it against my chest as we looked out from the treetops at the expanses before us. The brisk wind picked up and racked the overhanging leaves, but I felt warm in his embrace.

☾ ☾ ☾


	17. Time to Come Home

Levi's POV: 

We sat there for a while, in each other's arms. It was still hard to believe I had finally kissed her, and that she had responded in the way that she did. Remembering the feeling of her lips against mine sent shivers down my spine, and my mind bore sundry thoughts of nightshade flowers, cracks of lightning, silver tears midair. My thoughts orbited her and all the curiosities that followed- her untamed disposition and faculties, and the sensations she created in me. Images of her as they passed through my mind evoked waves of emotions I couldn't process, so as a result, I sat there silently, watching the rhythm of the night sky against the thumping in her chest. 

She shifted off my lap to sit beside me, the cold air creeping in the places our bodies were once intertwined. 

"Levi?" She looked at me with eyes embezzled in the overarching starlight. "You seem troubled." 

I looked away, the idea of appearing vulnerable making me kick myself internally. "I feel like I barely know you," I said slowly, forming the words carefully in my mind. "And yet, here we are. Tch, what are we even doing?" 

Turning to her in hopes my words didn't come off as hurtful, I was surprised to see her eyeing me steadily, her gaze concealing whatever emotions she felt. "No good comes from overthinking such things," she said calmly. "At times, my rudimentary understanding of others bothers me, but I like to think I've adjusted to my weaknesses. I don't like defining the parameters of any given relationship. As far as I'm concerned, I enjoy your company because I believe we don't need it." 

Her deflective nature caught me off guard. Largely, she came off as careless, and nonchalant. I don't know why it bothered me as much as it did. 

I took a moment to think about what I was going to ask. _Fuck it._

"(f/n), who betrayed you?" 

At long last, waves of emotion erupted along the ridges of her eyes. Sadness stung her expression, pressed upon her shoulders, before she blinked it all away. 

"Another nomad," she said quietly. "He lived with us in the village. His name was Oliver, once- now, he's known as Grim." 

"Tch, that's a stupid name." 

Her eyes flared with an invigorated sense of anger. Whether it was directed at me, I couldn't tell. "He chose it himself. He chose to leave the village in search of the place we came from, the origins of our people and our abilities." She looked away in an attempt to shield whatever it was that clouded her gaze. "Before he left, he came to speak with me," she said softly. "He told me of this great quest, this sporadic attempt to meet our makers. He said he was Grim, for his departure would temper his steps in regret, and I would be his Reaper, for every moment afterward I'd hound him for his leave. Only later did I realize I became the Reaper because I grew bent on this idea of revenge. I don't think he knew at the time what he'd later come to do." 

I hesitated under her sudden portrayal of emotion. "You loved him." 

She sighed and turned back to look at me, her eyes cold. "Yes," she said, her voice hard and unwavering. "I loved him as much as I was able to, and yet, he returned, setting a fire to our house, butchering our family like dogs. It is because I loved him that now, should I see him again, I'd split him open, carving the names of those he murdered on his bones." 

Flashes of light darted in her eyes, and her body tensed beneath her growing rage. I placed my hand on hers, and she suddenly softened, looking down at it tenderly. 

"You do them no good holding their memory in spite," I said. "You think they'd feel disrespected, knowing their image has been replaced by the one who murdered them?" 

She looked at me, her expression bewildered. There was a curious light in her eyes. She said nothing but placed her other hand on mine, squeezing it tightly. 

"The moon is high," she said, standing up. "It's time we head back." 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

As Levi readied his gear, I wrapped my arms around his neck, still resistant in using my abilities in front of him until the need called for it. He looked at me questioningly over his shoulder but stayed quiet- I think he understood my want for continued reservation, despite all I've told him. 

We flew back towards Wall Rose, moonlight filtering in through gaps in the canopy above. Strands of his hair glinted in the faltering light, and I felt tendons of muscle contract under his clothes, deepening rifts along his skin. I closed my eyes and grew drowsy as I got lost in his movements, the wind whistling by us as we passed like shadows across the slumbering landscape. 

~ 

After we landed on the other side of the wall, we walked back to the Regiment Headquarters in silence, basking in the darkness as night waned closer towards dawn. 

As the building came into view, flickering candlelight accenting few of the windowpanes, Levi placed his hand on my arm, halting me to a stop. When I turned to look at him in question, he brought his face to mine, placing another kiss on my lips- this time, he was more tender, and hesitant. 

He pulled away and I saw traces of uncertainty in his eyes. "What's going to happen now?" he asked, turning a wary eye over at headquarters.

"I don't want them to know, either," I said. "I like your company. Let's explore this together- privately." 

I saw a slight flush of relief wash over his expression. "That sounds good to me. Right, then." He straightened himself and assumed the same emotional dissonance people knew him for. "It's late. Let's go, brat." 

☾ ☾ ☾

Grim's POV:

I scoured the lengths of their walls, looking down at passing soldiers and civilians in distaste. Anger boiled inside my core as I pictured her here, living among them, caged behind these walls-a tamed wolf forced among the sheep. 

_My love, my reaper- what desperation drove you here? I know my betrayal will be met with your rage, but I never thought you'd fall into madness._

I flew high beyond their vertical scope and took notice of a lone man, dressed in what they probably deemed officer attire, strutting along the length of the wall. I swung down, knocking him over with a swift kick to his breast. He grunted at the impact, and as I stood over him, he looked up to me in fear. 

"Who...w-what..." 

I engulfed the space around my hand in steel, sharpening the edge and holding it to his throat. "A girl was found beyond the walls," I stated, my voice firm. "Where is she?" 

"I-I don't know... please-" 

"Where is she?" I growled, elongating the edge to scrape along the skin of his neck. "My patience thins, cattle. Tell me where she is, or I'll tear you apart." 

Tears formed in his eyes, and his rapid breathing grew raspy. "I-I really don't know...the Scouts go beyond the walls... I'm just part of the Garrison-" 

I crouched, bringing my face closer to his. He stifled a whimper as looked into my flaming glare. "Where are these 'scouts'?" 

"Their h-headquarters are somewhere within Wall Rose... I'm not sure where-" 

I grabbed a fistful of blonde hair, pulling his head up so the sharpened steel drew blood that trickled down his collar bone. "Am I supposed to know what the fuck you mean by 'Wall Rose'?" 

"It's the w-wall we're stan-standing on, sir." 

I looked over to the right, taking in the expanses that lay before me, bottled within this stone pen. It was of respectable size, but I remained undaunted. I knew I would find her, eventually. There's only so many crevasses she could hide in. 

The man in my grip began to vocally sob. I looked to him in disgust, clicking my tongue before slamming his head down on the concrete, hard. He was knocked out instantly. "I detest cowardice," I muttered. 

I dismantled the sharpened metal that collected around my arm, watching as it broke apart into minuscule molecules and atoms that trailed off into thin air. "Looks like playtime is over, my little reaper," I said, returning my gaze on the horizon. I felt a fire burn in the pit of my person. "It's time to come home." 

☾ ☾ ☾


	18. The Desperate Missionary

(f/n)'s POV: 

Levi had walked me to my room and bade me goodnight, and regardless of the hour, I laid in bed, unable to fall asleep. While I'm most at ease maintaining a certain distance with others, I disclosed a lot to him tonight, and what's more, he seemed to accept me for who I was. I first saw him as the defensive, cautious Captain whose judgement Erwin trusted in, but now, I wasn't so sure. 

I rolled over, my hands resting on the hilt of my sword. Lying beside it made me feel safer, as though the once rocking ship softened, the chaotic waves rescinding. As my eyes closed, I saw fleeting images of him, his grey gaze, his slick black hair, his lips pressing against my own. 

_This is going to be interesting._

~ 

I awoke early in the morning and decided to head to the mess hall for breakfast before the crowds gathered. After the events of last night, I felt uncomfortable with the idea of having to see Levi's squad members. 

As I grabbed some bread and coffee, a loud, booming voice made me freeze. 

"Miss (f/n)! Come, sit by me." 

I turned around to see Erwin sitting alone at the end of the hall, a forced smile plastered on his face. His eyes were cold and assessed me carefully. It was definitely evident why he was in charge of things around here. 

Reluctantly, I took my food and sat before him, quietly sipping my coffee as I awaited him to start what I assumed would be a very intrusive conversation. 

"So, have fun with Levi last night?" 

I nearly choked, setting down my cup under his amused stare. I quickly readjusted myself and met his look calmly. "Excuse me?" 

"You and Levi left headquarters rather late last night, with him strapped in his ODM gear." 

"Yes." I hid any indications of my emotions from my eyes, keeping my posture and expression perfectly impartial. "He tried probing me for more information, as you'd expect." 

"And why, pray tell, are you so reluctant to share this information with us, given now that you have free reign and actually returned on your own?" 

"I mean no disrespect, but exposing details of my personal life, while I wish to help in any way that I'm able, is... difficult. Especially considering I don't know most of you as well as I'd like to." 

Erwin nodded slowly, taking a bite of his food. "I see. Well, I will ensure we remain respectful towards your degree of comfort around here. It's not something I'd like to see forfeit. However, in the meantime, I do hope you'll help in other areas." 

"I'd be glad to. I've fought a few of your best soldiers in the field, and they hardly impress." 

Erwin looked at me then with a genuine smile. "I heard you even gave Levi a hard time. Very impressive, (f/n). We could definitely put that kind of skill to use." 

We sat for a few minutes, eating our food in silence. Usually, I enjoyed the quiet, but his commanding composure made me uncomfortable. 

After we finished, Erwin stood and gestured for me to follow him. "Let's take a walk."

~ 

"Hange tells me you like religious and poetic verses," Erwin said, his eyes maintained along the path before us. He took me along the trail that encircled headquarters, parts of the road shaded under the neighboring forest. As the world gradually awakened, the sounds of twirling leaves and birdsong chimed along to our passing footsteps. 

"Religious and poetic texts are similar in their abstraction. Something about the ambiguity allows me to personalize their meanings." 

He raised an eyebrow in consideration. "Religious views are more commanding," he stated. "The authoritative tone present in their texts make the reading feel, for me at least, one-sided." 

"Power is subjective. Religion seems imposing to you because you perceive it as coming from a stance of diplomatic strength. Consider the desperate missionary." 

Erwin looked at me. "The desperate missionary?" 

"Religious texts were very prominent in my village as it was run by the elders. My father told me that in order to read it under an unbiased perspective, think about the words as being delivered by a desperate missionary, the commanding tone a means of persuasion. Doing so puts the reader in the seat of power and softens the read. There's fundamental beauty in poignant expressions of faith." 

The stern temper in his blue eyes lessened, and he bore a wide smile. "Next time I read books of religion, I shall consider the desperate missionary. I'm sure my father would've appreciated the objective outlook." 

"Your father?" 

Erwin nodded and shifted his gaze to the ground. "He was a teacher and believed knowledge in itself should be unobscured and praised for all it stood for in humanity. He believed in the knowledge still left to be discovered, and in the knowledge that must be discerned in present material, like religion or other literary works, for what they unveiled about mankind's inert nature." 

I placed a hand on his arm. "He seemed like a good person, invested in the profound complexities of us all. I'm sorry for your loss." 

He smiled and shook his head, placing his hand over my own. "It was a long time ago, but thank you for your kind words. You know, (f/n), you're a hard person to crack, much like Levi, but you're compassionate beneath it all." 

I pulled away, returning my gaze to the landscape. "I appreciate the sentiment, Erwin." 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

"The next few scouting missions will be conducted to establish a route through Wall Maria," Erwin said, scribbling his plans onto maps lain across his desk. "Our route will begin at the gates of Trost district and stretch South along..." 

His voice dwindled into the background as I looked out the window onto the training field. (f/n) was training with a few other soldiers today that weren't in my squad. I recognized one of them- his name was Percy Lancer, and while he wasn't able to stand his ground with (f/n) for longer than ten seconds, they sparred together throughout. He laughed frequently, a dopey smile constantly threaded on his face, and it seemed he touched (f/n) any chance he got, whether it was on the arm, her shoulders, her hands- 

"Levi." I turned and met Erwin's serious glare. "Are you even paying attention?" 

He stood at my silence to glance out the window, catching what it was that entrapped my attention. Nodding, he sat back down with a widening smile. 

"What's so funny?" I snapped. 

"If you want to keep whatever's going on between you two a secret, it may be a good idea to stop gawking at her like she were a piece of candy and you an overweight, diabetic child." He raised a hand in response to my growing anger. "Sit." 

I stormed over and sat in the chair across from him with an infuriated grunt. "There's nothing going on between me and (f/n)." 

"Well, I should hope so, considering she's been seeing Percy as of yesterday." 

My eyes widened. "She's _what?_ " I spat furiously. 

Erwin shot a knowing glance up at me, his eyes twinkling in amusement. I leaned back, folding my arms over my chest. "Very witty, Erwin." 

"So, what exactly is going on?" 

"Tch, the hell if I know. Whatever it is, we'd appreciate the discretion." 

He returned to his paperwork. "Say no more- you'll have it. I do feel the need to warn you though, Levi- it's not easy maintaining a romantic relationship in this profession. I need to know despite the circumstances, you'll prioritize your responsibilities as a Captain." 

"You don't have to worry about my affairs. I can handle them on my own." 

Erwin folded his arms over his desk, looking at me with a level eye. "Did you learn anything new that I should know about?" 

"She hasn't said a thing." 

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "Very well, then. You're dismissed. I'll send for you when the plans better established." 

I stood to leave. 

"Oh, and Levi." His blue gaze was stern. "Be careful."

☾ ☾ ☾


	19. Grim and the Reaper

(f/n)'s POV: 

That evening, we gathered in the mess hall for dinner. Percy had asked me to join him and I obliged, subjugated to Levi's heated glares from across the room throughout. 

"You really know how to handle yourself in combat," Percy said, bringing my attention back on him. 

"You really know how to land ungracefully in the dirt." 

He widened his eyes at me, before laughing at his own expense. "Touché, (f/n), touché- as unwarranted as that was."

Percy prodded his oats with his fork in distaste. "You know, my father was a hunter. Can't remember the last time I went this long without a hearty steak." 

I felt twinges of amusement seep into my gaze. "I was worried that I was surrounded by a bunch of vegetarians." 

He turned to me, his green eyes rimmed in excitement. "Did you learn how to hunt? He was supposed to teach me but passed away when I was younger." 

I placed my hand on his arm sympathetically. "I'm good with a bow and more than happy to show you a few things." 

His face grew a shade redder at my touch. He looked away, his wavy blonde hair falling over his brow, hiding most of his features. "I'd love that, (f/n)." 

We finished our food quickly, him talking absent-mindedly about his hometown, his sister, his future ambitions, while I sat by listening to it all. He was unlike myself or Levi, but I began to grow a soft spot for him. His eyes were bright as he spoke passionately, and his aspirations were humbling. As I quietly listened to him telling me his story, I began to realize that my previous conceptions about the walls and the people within them were entirely unwarranted. We all held our own right to survive in the ways we deem fit. For them, it was to live unburdened by fear, and for us, it was to live fearlessly, but we strove to live all the same. 

"Hey, while everyone is still eating, could we go back out onto the field?" Percy asked hopefully. "I still can't wrap my mind around how you executed that one move and would like to practice it more." 

"Well," I started hesitantly, looking around the hall. Everyone was still occupied with their meals, chatting mindlessly among themselves, and there, in the corner of the room, Levi sullenly sat. As his gleaming eyes glared out from the darkness, it was as if his sour mood conjured blankets of shadow to engulf him in his misery. 

I turned to Percy. "Why the hell not?" 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

I felt myself begin to seethe as I watched (f/n) leave the hall with Percy. _Where could they possibly be running off to at this time?_

Excusing myself curtly, I exited the side doors to loop around the outside of headquarters, headed in the direction they assumedly went. As I came to side of the building, I saw the two of them practicing some more in the field and leaned against the wall, concealed by the darkness. I didn't like this Percy kid, but he was damn persistent on mimicking (f/n)'s techniques, only to fall on his ass continuously. 

After a while, I found myself entranced in the fluidity of (f/n)'s motions. She managed herself in combat exceptionally well, and I could tell she was going easy on Percy, not that it ever changed the outcomes of the match. 

"Come on, Percy," she said, annoyance trickling into the edges of her voice. "I can always tell what you're about to do as soon as you step forward. Surprise me this time." 

Invigorated, Percy lunged forward frantically, only to dive and trip (f/n) with his outstretched leg. She landed on her back. 

"Woo!" Percy jumped ecstatically, and (f/n) sat up, patting the dust off her shoulders with a laugh. 

"That was a risky move, but not bad, Lancer!" 

"I don't know what's better- the fact that I made you fall on your ass, or the fact that I finally got you to laugh." 

"Easy, now. Don't make me go hard on you." 

Percy helped (f/n) up, the two of them wiping the dirt off their clothes, when there was a sudden crash in the center of the field. An eruption of dust arose, concealing what it was that made the impact, but as it dissipated, my expression dropped at the sight. 

It looked like a man, tall and intimidating, his golden eyes shining in the darkness. It seemed as though he had the same abilities as (f/n) once I noticed the webbing of interlaced matter surrounding his form, concentrating around his back into the shape of large, shimmering wings. His eyes were locked on (f/n), who now stood defensively, arm outstretched to keep Percy behind her. 

"Grim," she growled, cracks of lightning flashing through her glare. She looked back at Percy. "Get the fuck out of here Lancer, and whatever you do, stay inside." 

"But-" 

"Now!" 

Percy hesitantly backed away, before running back into headquarters. (f/n) returned her ferocious eyes on Grim, unwavering as she bent down to pick up her blade that laid on the side of the field. 

I didn't stall a moment longer- I raced back indoors to grab my gear. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

Lightning clashed with lightning as our eyes met. His face looked twisted, scars torn through once fair flesh, brow furrowed under added stresses and anger. The man that stood before me held no ounce of the man I used to love. He was vile and cruel, his disposition hostile. I clenched the hilt of my blade tightly until the bones ached in my fingers. 

"You broke my fucking heart, (f/n)." His voice was as hard as tempered steel, as cold as packed ice. He approached me slowly, the wings on his back dissipating as the molecules shifted back to surround him. 

"You stay the fuck away from me." I could hear my own voice strained under my growing fury. 

The silence was suddenly disturbed by the sound of attaching anchors and reeling string. I watched in horror as Levi swung into action, his blades aimed for Grim's head. 

"Levi, no!" My screams were unheeded. Matter engulfed Grim's arm to form a metallic shield that deflected Levi's blades, and in a flurry of motions, Grim parried each of Levi's swings until the edge of his sword drew blood along Grim's cheeks. 

Grim winced in pain but didn't hesitate. He launched a stream of sharpened projectiles from beneath him, and while Levi moved quick enough to avoid most, one buried itself in his gut. He fell back and landed on his side, hissing at the pain. 

Grim raised his arm, the shield infusing with his hand into a refined spear and brought it down directly towards Levi's head. The air rang with the sound of metal on metal, and Grim looked in disappointment as Levi remained unharmed, protected under a titanium aegis I had conjured in time. 

He turned to me, his glare hardened in irritation, as he wiped the blood trickling towards his jaw. "You protect sheep, (f/n). You were always soft." 

His eyes suddenly let up, a wicked smile spreading along his face as he bore witness to my insurmountable rage. "Come now, my beautiful reaper. I didn't mean to upset you." He kicked the metal shield in distaste. "If you really consider them so dearly, I'll let them alone. Just come with me now, and no harm will be done." 

"You burned our house, you butchered our people, and now you have the audacity to find me again, only to cause me more anguish. Your existence is a plague, a stain upon my life." 

Grim frowned. "You're so mean, (f/n). After everything we've been through, after all I've done for you." An evil smile returned to his lips. "After I held you, kissed you, fucked you- after your body and mind melted between my fingers, you still speak so viciously." 

I raised my sword, feeling the droplets of matter around my body alight in flame, flowing around my form like free-floating embers. I grew my wings and lurched forward in an instant, skewering the ends of my sword in sharpened barbs that shattered whatever shields Grim was able to conjure. I materialized thorns all around that penetrated his flesh, sharpening my nails into claws that wracked his skin until we were both soaked in his own blood. I clawed and tore at him until his pummeled body flung limply between measures borne of my fury, and I pushed his crumbled form into the dirt. 

As I stood above him, my sword pressed against his throat, I hesitated. We were both heaving as I glared down at his battered body. _Kill him, kill him, kill him!_ I could only stand there, caught between my newfound hatred and diminishing love. Grim was no longer Oliver, but he had the same eyes. 

"You were always better in combat, more attuned with the triad." He winced and spat blood. With the energy he had left he crafted a roughly hewn sword embedded along his forearm, pushing against my own blade until he stood, towering over me with unfaltering, golden eyes. "But you've always been soft, and in that regard, the blade belongs to me. And (f/n)-" He placed a finger beneath my chin. "You will give it to me, or I will strip the meat off the bones of everyone you hold dear, and in your hesitation, you will do nothing more than watch them suffer." 

He backed away, particles of light swarming in the recreation of his wings, before he flew off into the night, and disappeared. 

I stood there, defeated. His golden eyes and wicked smile were scorched into my brain, and I was reeling from the smoldering wound left in my head. Looking back at headquarters, I saw in dismay the gathered crowd of soldiers, their expressions agape in shock and fear. 

Turning away, I subsumed the shield around Levi's body, only to find him lying there, eyes heavy from the continued blood loss- and yet, his gaze flickered to me in worry and care. 

"(f/n)," he whispered, struggling to sit up. 

I began to hurry over to his side when suddenly, I felt burns coalesce throughout my entire body. Groaning in pain, I looked down to see the marks against me Grim had dealt, unnoticed in the heat of the fray. My blood seeped through my clothes, and I collapsed, feeling as though a thousand scalding wires tore into my skin. The last thing I saw was Levi, crawling towards me in anguish, before it all faded into darkness. 

☾ ☾ ☾


	20. Recuperation

(f/n)'s POV: 

We slowly crept around the sides of slumbering buildings as darkness encroached on the village. The Elder's Chapel began to creep into view, candlelight trickling through the stained glass. It looked like an eternal mark amidst a shifting landscape, firm and undaunting in the growing shadow of twilight. 

"How are we supposed to get in there?" Oliver whispered. 

"There's a backroom. I saw the wood paneling had come loose. I bet we could squeeze through." I grabbed his arm and pulled him along, reluctant as he was, to the other side of the chapel. 

"Here, look!" I gestured to the ill-fitting wood and pulled it towards me, creating a gap wide enough for us both to crawl in. "Get in," I hissed, eyes flaring at Oliver's growing anxiety. "Hurry up, Ollie!" 

"We better not get caught for this," he mumbled, getting on his hands and knees, disappearing into the chapel. I took one last look around in search for unwelcome eyes before following after him. 

It was dark, but we stood in what appeared to be a broom closet. I approached the door, pressing my ear to the wood to listen for any sounds, and at the silence I slowly creaked it open. We stood alone in the chapel, almost ethereal in the night, firelight staining the paintings and murals, basking the surrounding mahogany planks in a red hue. 

"Wow," Oliver breathed, taking in our surroundings. "It loses its touch in the day, when people gather for mass. This is quite nice." 

I looked at the alter and saw behind it a few wooden bins and wardrobes. "It must be there somewhere. Let's make this quick." 

We looked through the various religious assortments, scrolls and cloth alike passing between our fingers in our search. 

"(f/n), here it is!" 

I looked and saw Oliver holding an Elder's Robe, fondling the delicately sewn fabric. It glittered in silken colors of orange, red and purple, mingling together as though the very essence of dawn was imprinted upon it. Golden and silver threads were embedded throughout, a subtle webbing that caught the light, collecting it to make it look like stars glimmered along the material. 

"Have you ever seen anything so beautiful," I whispered, rushing over to feel it myself. "Did you bring the knife?" 

Oliver looked to me warily. "Are we really going to do this?" 

"You want that sash, don't you? To stand with it hanging off our waist, like we're pirates that command the sea, the mountains!" He still looked unsure. "They've got extras. I'm sure they won't mind," I said, trying to ease his worries. 

Oliver passed me the knife, and as I was about to cut, we snapped our heads around when we heard the large wooden doors to the chapel slowly creak open. I pulled Oliver with me quickly, the two of us quietly hiding in the wardrobe, peering out through the slit in the door. It was the elders, and they walked together slowly, heads bowed, towards us. Their glittering robes flowed along with their movements as winding water around a river bend. 

They came and stood around the altar, heads still bowed, as one of them approached the wood and pulled an old, leather-bound book from beneath his robes. He slid a hidden panel at the base of the altar aside, setting the book within, before concealing it again. 

"The Elder's Manuscript," I whispered in awe. 

The elders gathered together, murmuring words of prayers, before leaving the chapel in ceremonious rows, the large wooden doors creaking back into place, marking their leave. 

When the coast was clear, we stepped out of the wardrobe, and I timidly approached the altar. 

"(f/n), what are you doing?" Oliver whispered. "We need to get the hell out of here!" 

"The sacred text," I mumbled, half to myself. "Oliver, do you know what this means?" 

I slid the hidden panel aside and pulled out the manuscript. Holding it in my grasp sent shivers down my spine, and without further hesitation, I flipped it open to graze my eyes upon its secretive contents. 

"(f/n), put that back, now. If anyone but an elder reads the manuscript, they'll be executed!" Oliver's voice was wracked in fear. He groaned as his words were unheeded. "We're so screwed. This was a bad idea." 

"Shut up and get over here," I whispered. 

He reluctantly sat beside me, the both of us reading the ancient script under candlelight, the darkness of the hour seeping in through the windows. For hours on end there wasn't a sound, save for the flipping of pages, and the creaking in the foundations of that old chapel. 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

I awoke to see the hazy outline of the infirmary, sunlight creeping in through the blinds, alighting the room in a ghastly white. As I slowly regained my consciousness, I drifted in and out of dream, my eyelids heavy and unable to stay open for long. 

Suddenly, I saw golden eyes in my mind, constructs of metal and stone, and sat up in alarm remembering what had occurred- only, I fell back in pain, the muscles towards the left side of my gut screaming at their sudden disturbance. 

"Shit," I groaned, lifting the sheets to see the bloodied bandages wrapped around my stomach. 

The nurse rushed in the room, clipboard in hand, worry written across her face. "Captain Levi, sir!" She raced to my side to check the dressing on my wound. "Please, no sudden movements. Your puncture wound is still healing- it could tear further."

I grabbed her hand as she tried to adjust the bandage. "Where's (f/n)? What's her status?"

"(f/n) is in the adjacent room, still unconscious. Her condition is stable- her injuries aren't as bad as yours, but she's still recovering from the blood loss. It'll take her a while to regain her composure." The nurse released herself from my grip and began to pull the blankets over me. "Rest, now. You can see her when you're both healed."

"Get the hell off of me, I'm fine. I'm go-" I was suddenly cut off as the stinging returned in my gut, sending waves of pain cascading along my torso as I tried to leave the bed. I clenched my teeth in agony as the nurse pushed me onto my back. 

"Captain, you need to rest." Her voice grew stern. "(f/n) is fine, but you'll do you both no favors if you insist on bleeding out in the hallway."

I heaved a sigh, both in irritation and relief as the pain gradually subsided. "Tch, fine." 

She left the room and I dejectedly looked up to the ceiling, thinking about how long I'd be bedridden due to my injuries. My mind tortured me with fleeting pictures of (f/n), covered in blood, and it took an unparalleled amount of restraint to keep myself from attempting to find her again. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

When I woke up from sleep at last, my mind still brimming under vibrant dreams, the room around was shrouded in shadow. Darkness seeped from the windows, and looking out, the moonless night gave no indication of the hour. I sat up and examined my skin, only to find it had completely healed in my sleep. Not even a scratch remained. 

My thoughts shot straight to Levi's welfare, and I hastily left my room in search of him, finding him in the space directly adjacent from mine. Candlelight from the hallway filtered in as I slowly pushed the door open, reflecting gently off his sleeping form and black hair, tousled around his face. 

I shut the door and quietly walked to his bedside, tenderly lifting the sheets off of him to assess his injury. I stiffened at the sight of old blood as it gathered beneath the cotton. As I placed a finger around the taped edges, Levi suddenly shot up and grabbed my wrist, his metallic gaze searing into my own. 

"For the last time, I don't need painkillers." 

"Levi, relax. It's me." 

He instantly loosened his grip, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "(f/n)? What's going on? Why are you out of bed?" 

"Let me see it," I whispered, returning to his bandage. 

He leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows. His eyes filtered down to where my fingers pulled at the fabric, tensing at the contact. "I don't think that's a good idea," he said hesitantly, wincing slightly as I grazed against his tender skin. 

"Trust me." 

He remained quiet after my words, watching uncomfortably as I pulled the wrappings away, revealing his gaping puncture wound. My breath caught in my throat when I saw it, and I grew angry thinking of how it was inflicted. 

"Yeah, doesn't look too good," he hissed, clenching the muscles in his jaw at the pain. 

I held the palm of my hand above his exposed flesh, feeling the energy stir beneath my fingertips. 

"Hey, what are you-" 

"Quiet." 

He groaned at the accumulating ache as atoms combined within the tear, bonds fusing together along his skin, and watched in awe as threads of flesh gradually amassed to regenerate what had been torn away. 

I sat on the side of his bed as he ran a hand over the smooth, newly rejuvenated skin, eyes wide in shock. My gaze shifted to caress the definitions of muscle along his body, becoming suddenly aware that Levi was without a shirt. Heat flushed into my cheeks, and I forced myself to look away as he continued to fascinate over his absent wound. 

"You should consider becoming a doctor," he mumbled, sitting up now so his eyes were level with mine. 

"You should consider being more careful," I said in response. "What were you thinking, taking on someone with the connective triad? You were almost killed." 

Levi ignored what I said and began to lift up my shirt. I blushed furiously as I swatted his hand away. "What do you think you're doing?" 

"Shut up and let me see," he muttered, bunching up the fabric just beneath my breast, running his fingers along my abdomen. "Not even a scratch." His eyes shot back to me, now riddled in waves of relief. 

"I can handle myself, no need to-" 

He suddenly pulled me in, kissing me desperately. His hands dug into my back in passion, propping me up against him on his lap, hardly stopping for air as he trailed his kisses from my lips to my jawline, then gliding down the skin of my neck. Wisps of his breath caused shivers to travel down my body as he grazed his teeth along the flesh of my collarbone, kissing and sucking until I let out a quiet moan.

His steel eyes shot up to me, amusement and traces of lust growing along the fringes, before leaning in again, brushing against my lips with his own. I felt his tongue glide into my mouth, my fingers interlaced in his hair as we both pulled each other closer. My other hand hungrily explored the ridges of muscle cascading down his chest, and he stifled a groan as I moved further down his stomach. 

We broke apart suddenly as we realized where our excitement was headed, eyes locked under growing shades of desire. 

Levi smiled slightly and brought a hand up to brush against my cheek, before coming to rest his chin on my shoulder, wrapping his arms around my waist tightly in a hug. I felt his quickening heartbeat pressed against my chest. We held onto each other in the darkness, the silence disturbed only by our heightened breathing. 

"You scared the living shit out of me yesterday," he whispered, "you insufferable brat." 

"Levi." I pulled away from him. "There's something I need to say." 

He narrowed his eyes, waves of dark anticipation creeping into his gaze. "Alright." 

There was no easy way to say it. I looked away, slowly standing up from his bed. "I need to leave," I said quietly. "I'm going to find Grim, and I'm going alone." 

☾ ☾ ☾


	21. Oliver

Levi's POV:

She kept her eyes away, having predicted I'd grow angry at her words. The air in the room became tense.

"What?" I tried to keep my voice steady, but it was strained under indignation.

"Grim's made it very clear what he wants," she said slowly, eyes trained on the wall. "I can't hesitate this time. He needs to die. And you," she finally turned toward me, her (e/c) eyes striking in the shadow, "will stay here. You're lucky all you got was a puncture wound to the gut. You will die if you come with, and make no mistake, you should've died the last time. Only reason you're still alive is a stroke of luck, and nothing else."

"The hell with that," I spat. "I'm not letting you face him alone." I stood from the bed, grabbing a change of clothes as they lay on a chair. "I'm assuming he's waiting on you back at what remains of your village."

"You're not fucking coming."

"Tch, should've thought of that before you fixed me up."

(f/n) approached me until her staggering glare was inches from my face, boring into my skull. She was rightfully intimidating, when she wanted to be.

"I won't say it again," she said quietly. "You will stay behind on your own accord, or I'll make you."

I returned her glare as steadily as I could. "I'm coming with you."

She kept her eyes on mine, and amidst the animosity I saw fingers of sadness. "I'm sorry, then," she mumbled. In the darkness, glimmering trails of light sparked in the empty space, flashes of energy pulsing through her irises, and before I had a chance to react, she pushed me onto the bed, entrapping my wrists and ankles with metal chains bound to the bed frame.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," I hissed, pulling at my restraints. "(f/n), release me. Right now."

"Goodbye, Levi." She cast me a solemn glance before heading for the door. "As short as it was," she added, "I truly enjoyed my time here, with you."

The door clicked into place after her leave, and just like that, (f/n) was gone. There was a moment of silence before I heard her soft footfalls disappearing down the hallway, this time with the gentle sound of her weaponry clinking along every step.

~ 

I laid awake all night, fuming. My skin was raw after I spent hours trying to yank free from the chains. At each passing minute, I wondered where (f/n) was, if she had found Grim yet, if she was still even alive. The thoughts that plagued my mind only worsened my mood, and after hours of stewing, I was absolutely miserable. 

The door opened, and instead of the usual nurse, it was Hange. She was looking down at some papers, and when she finally looked up to me, she froze in shock. 

"Levi! Your wound- it's gone!" She raced to the bedside and annoyingly ran her hands on my skin, ogling over it. "How on earth did this-?" Her eyes flickered up, and she lost her words as she noted the position I was in- chained to the bed frame, shirtless. 

A smug smile grew on her face. "Fun night?" 

"The best. Now can you fucking help me, Four Eyes?" 

She examined the chains, pulled on them, then clicked her tongue. "There's no lock or clasp I can undo," she said. "Looks like we're gonna have to take the frame apart! I'll go get a screwdriver."

~ 

Hange nagged me with questions as she unscrewed the bed frame at a grudgingly slow pace. 

"You're saying (f/n) healed the wound?" 

"Tch, what else could explain it?" 

She shook her head. "I still can't wrap my mind around it," she said, excitement bubbling upon her expression. "Practically everyone saw what happened out there in the training field the other night." Hange suddenly shot me a scornful look, pointing the end of the screwdriver at me. "Did you know about this, Shorty?" 

She frowned at my silence. "Unbelievable. Why'd you keep it a secret?" 

"Because she asked me to." 

She scoffed as she turned her attention back to the screws. "I almost liked you better when you weren't in love." 

I stiffened at her words, feeling the heat rushing into my cheeks. "That's not what this is." 

"Give me a break, Levi," she muttered. "You've never acted this way before. You used to always put the Regiment first, renown for being closed off. You had a better relationship with your teacup and broom than anyone else in your life. Now that she's come into it, you're keeping her secrets, you're practically with her every chance you get, you're tense whenever she isn't around, and don't think nobody notices how much you stare her down when she's with others. You're worse than a teenager hopped up on hormones." 

"Cut it off, Hange," I snapped. 

Hange turned to me and her expression softened. She gave me a small smile. "There's nothing vulnerable about developing feelings for someone," she said. "I'd even venture to say it's one of the scariest things to experience, and facing it head on is a kind of bravery in itself." 

I sat quietly as she continued taking the frame apart, piece by piece. I didn't want to acknowledge her words, because I hadn't fallen in love with (f/n). I refused to believe that was the case. I didn't even want to consider the feelings I currently held for her. Thinking about such things gave me a headache. 

"What is it about her that makes you so fond of her?" 

I frowned at Hange's question. 

"Alright," she said with a chuckle. "Let me rephrase that- what is it about her that makes you so _curious?_ " 

I sighed in frustration as I turned my gaze out the window, eyeing the walls in the distance. "She's closed off most of the time," I said slowly, "but when she does speak, it always comes off as riveting, in a way- it's as if her words make me wonder about what she's thinking more than her silence does. And she's got this disposition I haven't seen before, in her eyes, and in her walk. She looks at the world as though it begs to be tamed, and walks among it, almost indifferently and admiringly at the same time, like she seeks to master it." 

I look back at Hange, only to see her eyeing me strangely. She nodded quickly before returning to the frame. 

"She's also hot as fuck," she said, and I could tell from her posture she was stifling a laugh. 

"Are you almost done?" I snapped. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

When I reached the walls bordering the town they'd just lost, I sat on the edge for a while. I saw the mountains ahead, the hills my village rested upon, but needed to catch my breath before I ventured any further. To say I was frightened was an understatement. My abilities outperformed Grim, they always have, but it took a different kind of strength, if strength is the right word for it, to use them against someone I had loved. I'd fantasized about running him through with my blade, but when I finally pressed it against his throat, I held back. His golden eyes tore at old affections I believed I no longer had within me. 

But he left me no choice. I stood with renewed conviction, my eyes flaring in growing anger as I eyed the hills. _This time, you're going to die._

I felt the energy course through my veins, the matter around me ignite in my fury. Molecules aligned as wings along my back, and without further hesitation, I flew towards the mountains. 

~ 

The rolling landscape rushed along beneath me, the wind colliding against my skin as I soared above the world. As my eyes caressed the ruined village, all sound from the whistling breeze subsided, and my mind was plagued with their screams, burning wood collapsing upon itself, and I could see, amidst it all, my love, my one, driving the hateful destruction against us all. 

I landed before our house, and there he was, leaning against the doorframe. His yellow eyes assessed me quietly, looking at me as though he held no care in the world. In the light of fading day, I took heavier notice of his garbs- he wore a red button up with black slacks, a grey overcoat fitted on top. If it weren't for the fire in his glare and his dark, unkempt hair, he would've looked presentable. 

"Took longer than I thought," he said. 

"Lost a lot of blood." I approached him slowly, pulling the sword from its sheath. At my words, I thought I caught a glimmer of regret pass through his gaze, but it dissipated in an instant. 

"You should've stood down." Grim loosened his shoulders and softened his expression. "We're not supposed to be at war with one another, (f/n). You don't belong there, living among them. You belong with me." 

"I'd rather die than go with you, he who splattered his homeland with the blood of his people. You belong in the ground, and I'm more than tempted to put you there." 

"You don't understand, (f/n)." Grim grew desperate, his eyes pleading. "This isn't about us, or even our people. You think I wanted them to die? Their screams haunt my nightmares, their curses hound every waking step. Do not think the weight of the dead stall in pressing upon my shoulders. Their deaths have coated what remains of my life in shadow." 

I lunged forward, my blade pressed against his throat. My anger was fused within my glare as I stared into his eyes, and he looked down at me, intimidated. "If you truly hold such remorse, tell me why we stand now amidst their ruin." 

"My hand has been forced," he said slowly. "Our makers are not what I had once believed they were." 

I stepped away in sickening surprise. "You coward," I seethed. "I pegged you as cruel, heartless, but this? You caused all of this because your hand was 'forced'? What kind of calamity would have made you turn your back on your people?" Tears began to sting my eyes. "On me?" 

Grim, for the first time since I'd seen him, looked at me like he was Oliver, again. He stood defeated, his expression wracked with guilt. "Everything I did," he began with a whisper, "I did for you." 

He approached me cautiously before pulling me in, timidly wrapping his arms around me. I was frozen in my shock as Oliver held me there on the hillside, his body shivering as he began to cry softly. "I've never stopped loving you, (f/n). What I did I had no choice- he would have killed you otherwise."

I pulled away from his grip, narrowing my eyes at the beaten man before me. "Who made you do this?" 

☾ ☾ ☾


	22. Charon and his Ghouls

Levi's POV: 

I was buttoning up my shirt when the door opened and Erwin stepped in, eyeing the dismantled bed casually. 

"I'm starting to get used to walking in on things I can't explain," he mumbled, turning to look at me. "I figured you'd know by now that (f/n) has left and her whereabouts are unknown?" 

"Yeah," I muttered, adjusting my shirt collar. "Have one of the cadets round up a few extra gas canisters and bring them to my office as soon as possible. I'm going after her." 

Erwin shook his head and stopped me with a raise of his hand. "There are things we need to discuss, Levi. Sit, please." He walked over to the couch, gesturing at the spot beside him. 

"Tch, I don't have ti-" 

"Sit." Erwin gave me a calculated glare. 

I muttered under my breath as I reluctantly sat, leaning back and meeting his gaze as carelessly as I could. Internally, I was entirely on edge, and couldn't stop thinking about racing towards the hills to find (f/n). 

"You knew about her abilities, didn't you?" Erwin's eyes were piercing as he assessed my every move. 

"I did." 

If Erwin was surprised with my answer, he didn't show it. He kept his gaze steady. "What is she capable of, exactly?" 

"From what she's told me, she can manipulate surrounding matter." 

"The other one on the field that night had the same abilities. Are there more?" 

"I'm led to believe they two are the only survivors from that village." 

Darkness creeped into his blue eyes; Erwin looked at me with an expression akin to opposition, almost as if he slowly began to see me as untrustworthy, as if I were aligned with the enemy. "Do you consider her to be a danger to humanity?" His voice was low and guarded. 

I flinched at the question. "I do not." 

Erwin looked unconvinced. The shadow in his gaze didn't lift, and he continued to look at me coldly. 

"To whatever vile end that ability is used for in the hands of others doesn't sway how I feel about (f/n). She came back to help us, and I believe entirely that her purpose is not to cause us any harm or grief," I said. 

Erwin sighed as he finally released me from his heavy stare, looking off to the side. "While I tend to place my trust in you without question, Levi, I cannot ignore the possibility that your judgement is clouded by your growing affections." 

"Erwin." I went to stand in front of him, and he looked up at me doubtfully. "I'll admit to you that I've developed feelings for (f/n) that expands beyond simple curiosity of her origins. My thoughts of her are no longer platonic like they once were, but I trust myself enough to know that my fondness does not stem from any uncertain foundations." 

I knelt before him, our eyes level. "She saved my life, Erwin. I hold no doubts of her character." 

Erwin closed his eyes, an uncomfortable silence beginning to grow in the room. I could hear my heartbeat quicken as I considered what thoughts ran through Erwin's mind, before he finally looked to me and nodded slowly. "I have seen it, too," he said quietly. "I may not have spent the same amount of time with her as you have, but when we did speak, I saw her as gentle- even compassionate. She also expressed a profound intellect in humble fields." He began to give me a warm smile. "She's a lot like you, you know. Beneath that rough exterior, there's something truly amiable." 

He stood with a different type of determination than what he sat down with, and, placing a hand on my shoulder, he looked at me confidently. "You shall find (f/n) and bring her back, but make no mistake, you will not be going alone. It's time we all put a little faith in someone who's decided to put hers in us. I'll make ready the horses and men; get your gear ready. We leave in the next thirty minutes." 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

Oliver turned away, pacing with uncertainty as he quietly mumbled to himself. The wind that passed along the hills grew cold, the shadows from the overarching peaks dragging out to encompass the entire village. All the while as Oliver considered thoughtfully to himself, I stood there, watching him. 

"I can't tell you," he said at last, looking at me frightfully. "The biggest mistake of my life was leaving that day. I had believed I'd find answers in them, in our creators- I believed they would've resembled the gods we heard about at mass, the gods the elders held in such high esteem." He cursed at himself, shaking his head in regret. "I looked for compassion in the faces of cruel men, and leading them all is him." 

I steadily maintained my glare. "Who, Oliver?" 

He turned to me in surprise, waves of warmth washing over his face at the mention of his old name, the name I'd called him previously in adoration. In a blink of an eye, it all subsided, and his gaze was filtered under worsening shades of fear. "The Devil," he said quietly. 

At his words, the world around seemed to quiet, as though it were holding its breath, awaiting to hear what he'd say next. "He's called Charon. He stands at the forefront of dozens, all of them bent on one thing- our blood."

I felt my expression twist in my distaste. "They want our blood?"

"Think about what we read all those years ago in the manuscript, (f/n)- how our ancestors were bred, tested upon like animals, all in hopes of producing some foolish prospect of an ideal soldier. They had created a serum, and we are the remaining vessels for it." 

Oliver sat in the earth, his head held in his hands, and I knelt before him. "This serum was lost, wasn't it?"

He looked at me somberly, his golden eyes swirling in his anguish. "Upon my arrival, I discerned that it was indeed lost, all in the chaos that ensued after our ancestors broke free. But Charon and his men are ghouls- they drained it from me, sucking it from my veins like they were starved for it. And yet, it wasn't enough." 

I gripped Oliver's shoulder, searing my discontent into his skin. "I grow tired of this emotional tirade. Speak quickly." 

Oliver turned away from my scowl. "It wasn't enough," he repeated quietly. "Charon fashioned the serum again from my blood, but the results he received after injection were not to his standards. He wasn't as powerful as the old ledgers claimed he would be following dosage- he wasn't as powerful as you. He told me if I gave him the location of our village, he would spare the lives of our family, and if I didn't, he'd find them on his own, draining them of every last drop they had within them." 

His body shook from coming sobs. "They weren't supposed to die, (f/n). It was only after they fought back that they were mowed through, decimated like cattle. You have to understand I did what I did because I wanted to save them, to save you." 

I stood in disgust, my body stiffening under my growing rage. "You're a fucking coward, Oliver. Look around you- look at what your fear brought upon us all." 

"I know," he whispered, his voice becoming monotone. His body grew still, the previous emotions fleeing his posture, and he stood, eyeing the corpse of our family and houses with an unfeeling stare. "I did this." 

Grim looked at me, an empty smile spreading across his face. "I detest cowardice." 

He walked past me, making for the mountain pass. 

"Where do you think you're going, Grim? You're to answer for your villainy." I raised my sword again, feeling the energy course through the air around me. 

Grim turned to me, his expression stripped of any strain of humanity he had left. His eyes were vacant as they landed upon me coolly. "Their screams haunt my nightmares," he said again. "It's time I put their ghosts to rest." 

As he turned back to the passage, he called to me over his shoulder. "That man I almost killed- Levi, as you called him- you love him now, don't you?" 

I tensed at the sudden question, before loosening my shoulders. "Yes." 

Grim hesitated and lowered his head, eyeing the ground beneath him. "I hope he protects you better than I ever have," he said quietly, before slowly walking away. "Go and live your life, (f/n). I'll take care of Charon." 

And at those final words, I stood alone on the hilltop, watching Grim's silhouette dwindle down the landscape, until he turned and vanished down the mountain path he passed through all those years ago.

☾ ☾ ☾


	23. The Return

Levi's POV: 

We ventured out with a small company so as to reduce potential losses- it was me, Erwin, Hange, Moblit, Eld, and Percy, since the brat insisted on coming along. Taking the West road, we avoided passing through the ruins of Shiganshina, conscious of the fact that a substantial number of titans were gathered there within the walls. We departed at dusk, knowing the lateness of the hour would render most titans immobile and disinterested in us as we thundered by. 

The journey was long, hours trickling along swiftly, much alike the passing landscape that fleeted past as our steeds raced towards the faraway mountains. 

Tensity began to build within the group as we considered what we'd stumble upon in the village. All had witnessed (f/n)'s conflict in the training field, and though we didn't speak, I knew we all held the same image of her powers contorted by fury in our minds. It put most of us on edge.

~ 

After several hours of silent travel, we came to the foot of the hills. A gripping uneasiness settled upon all our faces as we rode up the incline, the biting mountain wind chilling our very bones. 

Of the entire company, me and Eld were the only ones that have seen the village before; around us, everyone else looked about them with curiosity and amazement as we passed abandoned farmlands and tilled soil, left alone to harden up in the cold. 

We slowed our pace as the first poles of the village came into view, the sound of hoof and breath echoing off rotten planks. The world about us was draped in an almost stifling quiet. 

Our eyes darted around, hands placed timidly on our weapons, waiting for any sound or sign of movement- but there was none. The village was alone, desolate, empty. Our hesitant breaths marked the only presence among the landscape. 

Then, in the brightening twilight, a figure came into view, slouched alongside a crumbling house, darkened under the receding shade. We halted our steeds, and as the others held back warily, I hopped off the saddle and approached the silhouette slowly. As I drew closer, I caught glimpses of (h/c) hair trailing in the breeze, recognized her curves and posture as she sat, back against the wood paneling, head turned to the side.

"(f/n)!" I raced to her, wiping away the (h/c) strands from her face and shaking her awake. She groaned and looked up at me groggily, and as soon as those (e/c) eyes met my own, I felt my pulse quicken. 

As remnants of sleep left her expression, it slowly became filled with surprise. "Levi? What in hell are you doing here?" She turned and grew more shocked as she saw the gathered company that stood there watching. "Erwin, Hange- Percy?! What's going on?"

"What do you think, brat? I told you I'd be coming," I muttered. I helped her to her feet then awkwardly stepped away, grotesquely aware of the curious glances cast in our direction, particularly from behind wide-rimmed glasses. 

The rest of them got off their steads and approached us, Erwin casting doubtful glances down the alleyways and darkened corners. "It's good to see you well," he said, placing a hand on (f/n)'s shoulder. Surprisingly, she didn't shrug it off, but her mood seemed to grow foul. 

"Where's your friend?" Erwin gave (f/n) a questioning look. 

"He left," she said simply. "What are you all doing here? Do you have any idea how careless it was to leave the walls, despite having recently been overrun by titans? And for what, just to check up on me? I believe I've more than established that I can take care of myself just fine, and I don't need a trail of corpses because of your worries."

"Shit," Moblit mumbled, a little too loudly. "Now there's two of them." 

He shifted uncomfortably as he was met with both me and (f/n)'s heated glares. 

Erwin disregarded any sense of hostility and only gave a little smile. "You chose to help us, and so we chose to help you, regardless if it seems that you do not need it."

(f/n) loosened up a bit and placed a hand over his in thanks.

"Now," Erwin said, adjusting himself. "Where did he go?"

"In truth, I do not know," she said, looking past them to the mountain gap. "He spoke of larger things at play, people that sparked the motives behind his actions. There is a man named Charon that thirsts for our abilities, our blood, and he told me he has gone to end him and his regimes."

"More people beyond the walls?" Hange excitedly looked towards the mountain path that snaked out of view. 

"This is getting out of hand," Eld muttered.

Percy annoyingly stepped forth and wrapped (f/n) in a sudden embrace to the surprise of all. Even she tensed at the unprecedented show of care. "Did he hurt you again?" 

"No, Percy- I'm fine." (f/n) pulled away but held a soft expression when she looked at Percy. I felt my jaw clench in irritation. 

"Honestly," she started, casting her eyes upon the ground, "he almost seemed like his old self, again."

I wondered what emotions (f/n) had turned away to hide. It seemed that Grim incited furls of hatred in her, but upon seeing him, she always stalled, always grew sympathetic. Beneath that solid exterior she reflected towards us all, she was undoubtedly tender and frightened on the inside.

Erwin's stern voice brought us all back to the present, stirring us out of our troubling thoughts. "(f/n), do you think this is over?" His eyes were piercing as he looked down at her.

She met his gaze placidly. "No, Erwin, I do not. It's why I hesitated in returning- should anyone twisted under this foul purpose come looking for me again, it's more than likely they'll succeed in taking lives." She looked to me over her shoulder, somber eyes accented in (h/c) locks that curled around her face. "That's something I don't want to risk."

Hange leaped ecstatically as she considered an idea. "What if we move our headquarters?" she exclaimed, wide eyes flickering to everyone present. "We could keep our location unknown and manage a relay team so as to upkeep communication with other garrisons and the capitol."

"The complexities involved with simply keeping me around are not-"

Erwin interrupted (f/n) with a wave of his hand. "The simple matter is that you're an asset, (f/n), both in the abilities you possess and what we could potentially learn from you. And, in a more unprofessional sense, it's safe to say a considerable few of our members have grown quite fond of you."

I grunted and turned away irritably as I felt a few eyes land on me. 

"As humbling as that is," (f/n) started slowly, "I cannot accept."

"So, what's the plan then, (f/n)?" Eld asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "If you go into hiding and people come looking for you, what makes you think they won't check the place you were found at last?"

"Then I'll stay here, confront them should they come."

I scoffed at her response. "Tch, what's the difference then from just going off and finding them now? If all you're going to do is sit around and wait to die like an idiot, you might as well go and end it already."

(f/n) turned to me with biting anger draped across her fiery eyes. "I don't want to pull you people into this anymore than I already have," she spat. "I'll do whatever I can to avoid that."

Percy chuckled nervously. "It's a little too late for that, don't you think?"

A heavy silence grew on the hill as (f/n) stood defeated with her limited options. While she was still, her eyes swirled in a flurry of emotions I couldn't discern. 

"So, is it settled?" Hange asked uncertainly. 

"It seems that it is." Erwin nodded for everyone to remount their steeds. "Let's make haste- I'd like to return before noon. (f/n), you may ride with anyone of your choosing."

As the rest of the company made ready their horses, Percy stepped towards (f/n), only to awkwardly head to his horse when I shot him a scornful glare. 

"Come on, brat," I said, pulling (f/n) along. "My horse is over here."

~ 

We rode swiftly, veteran members of our company easily dismantling titans when they drew near. Despite the whistling of the passing wind, I heard (f/n) mumble against my shoulder, "I'm sorry." 

In response, I brought a hand from the reins to hers as they were clasped around my stomach. She tightened her hold on me, and against the backdrop of the fleeting vale, I felt like it was just us two, passing like intertwined shadows. Despite the world around, my attention was centered on the girl that reminded me of fire, holding on to me and I her like the two of us stood firm against the tides of coming change. 

☾ ☾ ☾


	24. Relieved of Duty

(f/n)'s POV:  
We made it back through the walls and to headquarters with little difficulty. Throughout the trip, my mind drowned under worrisome thoughts of Grim and Charon, and what I was inevitably dragging everyone into. These people held marked skill in combat, especially Levi. I never previously believed someone who didn't possess the triad would be able to stand their ground with another who did, however brief Levi's encounter with Grim lasted. 

Though, as skilled as Levi was, we had no idea what was coming our way, if it came at all. Grim's abilities were almost second to my own, and the fear he held in his eyes was deeply unsettling. 

"Hey." Levi's voice brought me back to the present. We had arrived, engulfed under the shade of their headquarters, and all were dismounting and leading their horses to the stables. 

I stood by as Levi settled his steed in its enclosure when Erwin walked towards us, his expression serious. 

"My office," he stated, blue eyes striking in the shade. "Ten minutes." 

As quick as he had approached, he turned back around and left. I could sense the tensity building in everyone present, and it only made me more anxious of the possible storm creeping over the distant mountains, drawing closer as the seconds passed. 

"Hey, brat." 

Only then did I notice Levi leaning against the stable, eyeing me curiously. "The hell is the matter with you? You keep staring off into space like an idiot. You grow stupid or something?"

I steadily looked into his grey eyes, tendrils of his black hair swaying along his brow. He always managed to keep his gaze emotionless, but I knew from experience he was softer than he let on beneath that hard exterior.

Looking around to ensure that we were alone, I leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on his cheeks. I gave him a little smile when I saw him blush, and he nervously raked a hand through his hair, looking down at the ground. 

"Who's looking stupid now?" I asked, only to be met with that familiar steel glare. 

"Tch, whatever. Let's just go before Erwin gets irritated."

As we headed towards the building, Levi slowed his pace to walk beside me. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, planting a quick kiss on the side of my head. 

"I'm glad you're back," he said. 

When I turned my head to look up at him, I saw that same tenderness I thought about earlier written across his expression. His eyes met mine affectionately, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. 

As we came closer to the doors, he quickly composed himself, and we walked side by side as though nothing existed between us. 

~ 

"It would be unwise to consider moving the entire regiment to a different location," Erwin said. He sat at his desk, eyes darting from each person present. 

I sat in front with Hange in the seat beside me. Levi stood behind us, leaned against the wall with his arms folded, looking as disinterested as usual. 

"The best option would be to assemble a small group that goes with (f/n) into hiding, as well as establishing a relay team so communications aren't compromised." Erwin turned to Hange thoughtfully. "I believe it would be best to send the Levi squad as well as you, Hange, given your expertise in garnering knowledge. You're the best equipped at learning more about (f/n) and the abilities she possesses." 

I grew tense as I pondered the consequences of those who stayed behind. 

"I thought it was mentioned prior that the entire regiment would be moved," I said, meeting the stern gaze of Erwin directly. "Should people come searching for me again, everyone at headquarters would be in danger." 

Erwin didn't flinch- his eyes remained unreadable. "The truth of the matter is that if people come looking for you and hold the same capabilities you've shown in combat, anyone they come into contact with will be in danger. Their frustrations of not finding you could render their aggression unchecked if we remove our soldiers. At least this way, they can be held here, however long." 

"You fool," I whispered in disbelief. I never thought Erwin would willingly sacrifice the lives of his soldiers just for my sake. "Levi's the best around, and he almost got killed by Grim alone. Should they come, they'll slaughter every last soldier left with ease." 

Erwin looked down at his hands, clasped together as they rested on the wood of his desk. Wafts of uncertainty began to cloud his once stoic expression. 

"You should've left me on that damned mountain," I muttered. 

As I shifted to leave, Erwin stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "You are the best chance we've been given in years," he stated, eyes still focused downwards. "The possibilities now presented to us given your extraordinary faculties are endless." His piercing eyes bore into mine. "There isn't anything I wouldn't give to ensure those possibilities do not slip between my fingers." 

I hesitated a while under his heavy gaze, before quickly adjusting myself. "That's disappointing," I mumbled. At my words, Hange and Erwin looked to me questioningly, Erwin's face in particular softening in surprise. "I was hoping you simply liked having me around. Appreciation goes a longer way than pure necessity, Commander."

A flash of red seeped into Erwin's cheeks, but he hastily turned away to hide it. It was difficult to suppress my shock at such a tell in his emotions. 

Hange cleared her throat awkwardly, and though I couldn't see him, I could feel Levi's glare growing hot behind us. 

"So," Hange began, still collecting her thoughts. "I'll begin looking into viable places for us to remain hidden. Who shall we choose for the relay team so you're able to stay updated, Commander?" 

"I will be coming with." Erwin kept his gaze away, now turning to look out the window. 

Hange sputtered as she tripped over her words. "Erwin, I strongly suggest-" 

"Don't think this venture is simply so (f/n) can remain concealed from her enemies," Erwin said. He had turned around to face us again, only this time, his expression was indecipherable. "While we're away, Hange- you will look into the more physical, biological workings of (f/n)'s abilities, and (f/n)- you will be training with us, teaching us ways to counter an opponent like yourself. I believe we've found ourselves to be shorter on time than previously thought, and while it's uncertain, we shouldn't be ignorant to the possibility of enemies returning to retrieve (f/n). It's time we finally learn more about you, (f/n), and what you can give to help humanity." 

I stood to leave, stretching from sitting uncomfortably for too long. "Well," I said, looking around calmly at all the eyes centered on me, "I'm going to take a bath." 

As I headed out the door, I heard Erwin call out from behind- "We're leaving tonight." 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

There was a tense silence after (f/n) slammed the door shut. I was tempted to follow after her, but I didn't want to give Erwin or Hange any more reason to mock me. It already got on my nerves how they took it upon themselves to know my business. 

"Well, she's unhappy," Hange said, suddenly breaking the silence. 

"Tch, would you want people dying on your behalf, Shitty Glasses?" 

"Can it, Shorty." 

Erwin sat back down at his desk and rested his head in his hands. He rubbed fingers along his temples in irritation. "Percy and Moblit has offered to run the relay," he said quietly. "Where Percy lacks knowledge in combat like some of our veterans, he more than makes up for it with his skill in riding." 

"Who will be placed in charge around here with you gone?" I muttered, eyeing him firmly. It was strange that he so easily disregarded his responsibilities just to come with. Was he that curious about (f/n), about life beyond the walls? 

"I'll run some correspondence with the last Commander. Given our dire situation, he should have no issue assuming temporary leadership." 

Hange turned back and gave me a look, telling me she was just as startled as I was about Erwin's invigorated dedication to learn more about (f/n) and her abilities. Granted, the situation was dire- the walls had been broken through, and our current methods of dealing with the titans were nothing short of falling behind. 

"I'll go find a viable location, then." Hange stood to leave, and I followed suit. 

"I'll get my squad members ready." 

Hange waved as she left, turning around the corner, but I hesitated as I stood in the door frame. 

"Levi?" Erwin called from behind, confusion in his voice. "Everything alright?" 

I shut the door softly, keeping my back towards him. I valued my privacy, but it reached a point where my emotions clouded my judgement, and Erwin had to know. 

"I can no longer oversee (f/n) in the way you asked me to," I murmured. "If there still exists a risk that she may turn against us, I cannot be depended on to bring her down."

There was a heavy silence for a while as Erwin considered what I had said. 

"I know."

I turned to him in question, and he sat there, eyeing me levelly. I couldn't discern what he was thinking behind his expression. 

"I've known for a while that your disposition towards our esteemed guest has softened," he continued. "Part of the reason I wish to accompany her tonight is so that if it does come to that unfortunate end, I will be the one to stop her."

I considered a response, but I had none. There was no question in either of us that I was no longer capable of protecting others from (f/n) should her allegiance with us go sour. 

So, I turned back around, and quietly left Erwin's office. 

☾ ☾ ☾


	25. Good Moments

Grim's POV: 

In the dark of night and the biting cold that rolled from the surrounding mountains I huddled by the fire, a diminutive shape in the vast wilderness that stretched endlessly around. I exhaled into my cupped fingers as I watched the discharged embers gliding toward the black sky. In that moment, I felt more alone than ever before, doomed to shiver at the passing winds and trek along unwoven paths in solitude. 

But it was because of my own doing that I sat here, bathing in the warmth of a fire rather than another person. My family was dead, and the woman I loved came to love another. It was my own doing. 

I looked dauntingly down the Southern pass, knowing I'd reach Stal Ridge in a few days. For a brief moment, silver hairs aloft around fiery eyes passed through my mind, and I shivered from more than just the cold. 

He had promised me strength that I once so desperately craved, that I saw enviously in her instead of myself. I spat at my cowardice. When they butchered my people, I was led to believe it was because they decided to fight back and nothing else- I believed the refusal of my family warranted the slaughter. 

I believed I was saving her from living out the rest of her days wastefully- that together, we'd grow in strength and rule the world. 

But it was a fool's hope that I lived by. We are nothing more than tappable vessels for Charon and his vile men, our blood being the only focus of their desire, their brutality. 

I looked back towards the North whence I came, where she still resided. "I led them to you, my reaper," I whispered, my voice carried along in the wind. I imagined the breeze carrying it far until it passed by her ear. "A part of me still wishes to lay by your side, to rule the world with your guiding hand, our triads coalescing in the creation of wonders." 

My eyes fell somberly down towards the earth. "But it was not meant to be- my faults are too great. I'll settle for doing this one last good deed in hopes it cleanses my name for you, so that my memory does not come with disgust." 

I lay in my bedroll beside the dying fire, the crackling wood resounding in my mind as I drifted off to a turbulent sleep. 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

I knocked on (f/n)'s door for the third time, my growing frustration reflective in how hard I pounded on the wood. "(f/n), we're leaving in thirty- are you even in there?" 

As there was still no response, I cautiously stepped inside, greeted by her empty room. "(f/n)?" I called. 

"In here." Her quiet voice seeped out from the crack in the bathroom door. 

I awkwardly went and stood by the door frame, wrestling with the intrusive thoughts that came to mind when I considered what I'd see if I went inside. "Are you just now taking a bath? It's been hours," I muttered. 

"What?" 

"I said it's been hours." 

"What?" 

I irritably slammed the door open, glaring into (f/n)'s (e/c) eyes as they peered up at me lazily. "I said it's been hours!" I growled. 

My aggressive expression dropped instantly, and my cheeks flushed with heat as I took notice of (f/n) lounging in the tub, her hair messily piled on the top of her head. Her legs dangled off the side and she was reading a book that detailed our knowledge of the titans. While I couldn't see anything in particular, the very idea that she was naked caused me to freeze in place, mouth agape. 

"You're not very good with women, are you?" she asked, her eyes sparkling in amusement. 

I narrowed my glare but quickly turned away. "Shut up, brat. You stay in there any longer you're going to prune worse than a raisin." 

"I've got bigger worries at the moment." 

"Are you even packed yet? We're leaving soon." 

I heard the trickling of water as she raised her hand, pointing to her weapons as they lay on her bed. "I'm all set." 

I grunted in response and shifted to leave. "Meet us by the stables in twenty minutes." 

"We've still got a while, and I could use some company. Grab a stool." 

I glanced at her nervously and fumbled over my words, only to be silenced by her eye roll. 

"Quit acting like you weren't going to see me naked eventually. I've got nothing to be ashamed of. Snap out of your fidgety, awkward demeanor and come sit next to me." 

I scowled at her snarky comments but pulled the dressing chair over to the side of the tub, sitting with my arms crossed, eyes glued to the wall. 

"Is this true?" she asked, her gaze turned back to the book. "Do titans really only attack the Southern side of your walls?" 

"Tch, it would seem that way, wouldn't it?" I kept my eyes strictly focused on everything else except the naked (f/n) laying in the bathtub. 

"I understand that there's fear involved with your perceptions of the titans," (f/n) began, still trailing a finger along the page. "But do you feel anything else when you see them?" 

"Hatred." I didn't hesitate for a second. 

There was a short silence that followed, and (f/n) reached out her hand for me to hold. I think she knew by my response where my hatred stemmed from, and her sympathy soothed my nerves, in a way. I took her hand. 

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, drawing circles along my skin with her thumb. 

She didn't take it upon herself to push for explanations of any kind, and I can't describe how appreciative I was of that quality. It seemed everyone around me fed off of words, backstories, needless fillings of the silence, but here me and (f/n) sat, quiet and in our own thoughts. While I usually felt most at ease alone, I felt the same comfort being in her presence. It was different. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

"It was a long time ago," Levi said quietly, breaking the silence. 

I looked to him in shock; his eyes were deep in thought, his brow furrowed under the weight of his old memories. "I grew up in the Underground with Isabel and Farlan. In a way, they were my only family, and the three of us were coerced into joining the scouts so our criminal history would be expunged." 

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead in the palm of his hand, squeezing my fingers tightly in the other. "Despite living in poverty all our lives, I think their deaths is what truly awoke me to this harsh reality we currently live in. They still haunt my dreams." 

I set the book down on the ground and rolled over, my chin resting against my arm as I leaned against the side of the tub. "You do them no good holding their memory in spite," I whispered. 

Levi looked to me in surprise, his eyes having watered as a result of reliving past traumas. He gave me a smile. "Tch, using my own wisdom on me? I can't believe you remembered what I said." 

"Being exposed to loss makes you more receptive to moments like this," I said. 

"What is this moment?" 

I laughed, and Levi's smile grew in response. "A good one." 

He moved in closer, cupping my cheek with his free hand as he kissed me tenderly. I ran my fingers along his arm, my other hand tightly holding onto his. His lips were soft and having them pressed against mine always lulled me into a blissful stupor. He made me feel things I haven't felt in a long time. 

He pulled away, pressing his forehead against my own. I looked deep into his grey eyes, entranced by the waves of emotion now passing along his gaze. "Don't become another loss that torments my sleep," he murmured, tracing the line of my jaw with his fingers. "I won't be able to handle it." 

I leaned up and kissed him just beneath his hairline. "You won't be losing me anytime soon, Ackerman." 

☾ ☾ ☾


	26. Into the Woods

(f/n)'s POV: 

Levi awkwardly left to wait in the bedroom as I got dressed. The fashionable options I was presented with were limited, so I settled with a white button up with beige riding pants, pairing it all off with my black boots, as usual. 

I decided to leave my hair down to let it dry, and as I looked at my reflection in the mirror, recent moments ran through my mind. I had contemplated leaving again and finding Charon on my own, but Levi had grown strongly attached to me, and I him. It was foolish for me to pretend that if I left, he wouldn't stubbornly try to follow again. 

When I stepped out into the bedroom, I was met with Levi's piercing gaze. His eyes caressed my every curve, a little smile tugging on his lips. "For the first time, you don't look like a wild animal," he mumbled. 

I cast him a subtle glare as I went to the bedside, clasping my sword harness around my waist. "Where are we going, anyway?" 

"Hange found some abandoned hunting lodges surrounded by forest. Should be discrete enough," he said, eyeing my sword admiringly as he handed it to me. 

"Do you like it?" I asked, attaching it to the belt on my hip. 

"It's not bad to look at," he blandly stated. "What's it made out of?" 

"A legendary substance we call zethra," I said, almost longingly as memories of my people and our culture came creeping back to mind. "Only those entirely attuned with their triads were able to conjure it. Its composition sits at the zenith of the five stages of triad attunement, with the highest tensile and impact strength of all metals." 

We started to head down towards the stables, leaving the room and passing through the hallway. Levi cast looks down at my blade as it hung off my right side, its length drawing the tip close to the ground as we walked. 

"What are the five stages of triad attunement?" he asked, glancing at me curiously. 

"While the connective triad allows for the creation of endless materials, the five stages represent hallmarks in attunement skill. It's structured off the ability to create metals- the solidity required in the fusing of molecules renders metal conjuring one of the hardest to master when it comes to this ability. The base level is the ability to conjure iron, then steel, titanium, tungsten, and eventually, zethra." 

"And what level are you at?" 

"Titanium." 

I huffed at Levi's slight frown. "Don't look at me like that. Most go their whole lives sitting at the second or third stage. Those who were actually able to create zethra became legends among our people." 

"Tch, sounds like you should spend more time practicing." 

"Sounds like you should watch your mouth, short stack." 

I continued walking carelessly as Levi bristled in anger alongside me, muttering obscure profanities under his breath. Although, I did catch the phrase _insufferable brat_ amidst his hateful mumblings.

~ 

"About time!" Hange cried as we approached the horses. 

Everyone was already gathered, making ready their steeds for the coming ride. Levi's squad members chattered idly amongst themselves while Erwin eyed the two of us firmly.

The moon was hidden behind dense folds of cloud, covering the land in a choking darkness. Beyond the light of the lanterns held by the hand or fastened to saddles the world was coveted in shadows. 

"(f/n), it's so good to see you." Percy had come up behind us, a warm smile spread across his face as he took my hand. "I'll be running the relay from our new location back to headquarters during the day but will spend the evenings out there with the rest of you."

He walked me to my horse, leaving behind a sour looking Levi, eyes trailing us with a stifling glare. 

"I'm looking forward to knocking you on your ass again." Percy chuckled, ignorant to the Captain currently shooting daggers at his back. 

"Don't count on it, Lancer." 

He helped me saddle up my steed- a grumpy looking black stallion that fidgeted nervously at my touch- then we joined the rest of the group in formation. I positioned myself between Petra and Eld, both flashing me a quick smile before all eyes fell on Erwin at the front. 

He sat atop his white steed, tall and proud- a true figure of leadership. His gaze settled on me, and his striking blue eyes were intimidatingly assertive. He seemed to be deeply concerned, which made sense, considering he was leaving a lot of his men behind. I wondered why he considered it so important to come along. 

"We'll be staying at an unannounced location for a couple weeks, at least," Erwin said, his voice unusually quiet when addressing a group. "Discretion is our ally. We do not want to draw unneeded attention during our ride, so keep your voices low and your pace steady." He cast one last look to each person present before turning to face the road ahead. "Let's go."

At his word, the company set forth at level speed, the ground thundering under the serenade of hooves. I struggled in gaining control over my horse, which seemed to huff and snort whenever I tugged on the reins however slightly. He trot all over the place, frequently bumping his snout against Oluo's horse in the front. 

"Watch it," Oluo muttered, shooting me a glare over his shoulder.

"He's uncomfortable with you," Petra observed.

" _He's_ uncomfortable?" I retorted, awkwardly shifting my body to adjust to his movements.

"Be gentler with him," Eld said. "He's an animal, after all."

I shot Eld a look of disgust, to which he responded by simply nodding encouragingly. The very thought of approaching an animal in this way seemed unnatural to me. It wasn't as if I disliked them- many times me and Oliver would gaze in admiration at passing herds of deer, lone bears that climbed the mountain paths- but we never got close. In the village, we were taught to maintain a respectful distance, and when hunting, to do so as quickly and painlessly as possible. But this just felt unnatural.

Stifling a groan as best I could, I loosened my hold on the reins, and hesitantly ran a hand along his neck. His bristled hairs felt coarse under my palm, but as I continued to try and soothe him, I became more aware of the heat emitting from his hide, his heartbeat pulsing against his skin. I was entranced by the rhythm of his life as it beat beneath my fingers, and unconsciously, I began to pet him more naturally. 

To my surprise, he finally calmed down, slowing his pace until I rode levelly beside Petra and Eld. I couldn't help smiling at his response, and oddly enough, I didn't stop stroking his neck. 

"He likes you!" Petra sang, her face rippling with joy.

"Will you people shut up," Oluo hissed from the front. 

☾ ☾ ☾

Levi's POV: 

We'd been riding for about two hours, now. I rode closer to the rear, shadows chasing in my wake. The surrounding trees that overlooked the path were fleeting in the dim light of our lanterns, the sound of hooves resounding off their bark. No one in the company took it upon themselves to speak; Erwin's warning of maintaining discretion kept us all silent.

Up ahead, my gaze flickered often to (f/n), and I took notice of her growing affection for her horse. I recognized the steed- its name was Carbonado, and it had belonged to a scout some months before, lost during one of our missions. Ever since then, it's been difficult to acclimate him towards another person, and was used strictly as an extra mount for unique cases. 

However, the black stallion seemed to respond well to (f/n)'s endearing strokes, huffing appreciatively at her touch. At one point, she even leaned forward in her saddle, caressing his neck and whispering in his ear, and he seemed to whinny in agreement. 

_She truly is a lot more sensitive than she lets on. She's practically acting like a kid that's never seen a horse before._

I looked off to the left, only to notice Percy eyeing her, too. His irritating obsession with her got under my skin like nothing else. He knew nothing about her, and yet hounded her steps like a plague. 

_He's just a kid,_ I thought miserably. _There's nothing more in attraction for them then physical attraction itself._

Although, his desire for (f/n) was warranted. She appealed to me like no one has before. Something about her strength, her independence, her striking (e/c) eyes and lissome (h/c) hair-she carried herself elegantly and ferociously at the same time, and the touch of her skin always sparked something primal in me. 

I shook my head clear of those distracting thoughts and focused entirely on the road ahead.

☾ ☾ ☾


	27. The Hunt

Levi's POV: 

We reached the hunting lodges and began to tie our horses to the crudely made hitching posts. There were three cabins in total, as well as a tools shack and a central fire pit surrounded by log seats. The entire place was as dark as the encircling forest, the faint light from our lanterns glinting off the empty windows. 

"Well, this is creepy," Hange observed quietly. 

The rest of the company stood timidly together as they absorbed the sight, shifting uncomfortably. 

Erwin was the first to step forward. "Levi's squad will take the cabin on the left, Levi, Hange, and (f/n) on the right, and me and Percy will take the middle." He looked expectantly at the hesitant group. 

"Tch, this place is disgusting," I muttered. "Everyone go and clean your cabins. I expect it to be spotless in the next few hours." 

Stunned glances were cast in my direction. 

"Captain, it's past midnight," Gunther mumbled with disdain. 

Petra nodded slightly. "Could we clean it in the morning?" 

"And spend the night sleeping in filth?" I glared at their disheartened faces. "We're not pigs, we do not squaller in shit. Quit complaining and get to work." 

Everyone shuffled drowsily towards their cabins, gradually setting the camp alight with lanterns and candles. If it weren't so dirty, I'd say the place was quaint. 

A hushed voice drew my attention away from the bustling work taking place by the lodges- (f/n) stood by the hitching post, whispering adoringly as she stroked Carbonado's snout. 

"What do you think you're doing?" I called as I walked over, causing her to look at me in surprise. 

"I was just-" 

"Save it," I muttered grumpily, pulling her away. Carbonado lifted his nose and huffed disapprovingly at the sudden loss of attention. 

(f/n) struggled lightly in my grip, only to be met with my scornful look. "We're sharing a cabin, so don't think I'm letting you off cleaning duty that easily." 

She narrowed her eyes in distaste, mumbling a string of curses under her breath. 

When we stepped inside our cabin, Hange hurriedly jumped up from the table and began to dust the windowsill. She feigned surprise as she turned to look at us. "Oh, (f/n), Levi- I was just cleaning the-" 

"Shut up, Shitty Glasses."

I felt a heavy frown spread across my face as I looked around the interior with disgust- a thick film of dust covered the paneled walls, and cobwebs creeped along every corner and crevice. The floor was littered with broken bottles, crumbled papers, and other assorted trash.

"This is going to be along night," I said, arranging my cravat to cover my mouth and nose. "Hange will dust, (f/n) will sweep, and I'll clean the garbage."

~ 

The next couple hours were spent cleaning. Our cabin had two bedrooms, each with two bunks, a bathroom, and a living room. The air had become thick under the rising grime from our chores, but gradually, our living quarters grew charming once the filth was removed. The flickering light from candles danced along the chestnut wood, and the windows clearly showed the surrounding tree line. All the furniture that was left behind looked to be expertly hand-crafted from red cedar and decorated the dwelling in a fitting contrast of colors. 

From time to time, I took notice of (f/n) swaying along with her broom, humming to some forlorn tune that played in her mind. She swirled among the falling dust, oblivious to me watching, and her movements left me entranced. 

When she noticed my stare, she dropped her broom dramatically and gave me an angry look. "I'm done sweeping," she announced, pulling her bow from off her back. "Be back in a few. I'm going hunting." 

"Like hell you are," I spat, feeling my cheeks heat up after being caught gawking at her. "We still need to wash the floorboards." 

"Better get started then." She gave me a wink. "It's been days since I've had a decent meal. When everyone finishes up, I'll have food prepared." 

"One of the carts we brought has food supplies," Hange quipped helpfully. 

The look (f/n) gave Hange was murderous. "I want meat." 

And with those final words, she ducked out of the cabin, disappearing into the night. 

"You sure know how to pick them," Hange mumbled. 

I shot her a glare. "Get back to work, Four Eyes." 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

I headed towards the central cabin, comparatively larger than the two on the sides. The wooden steps creaked under my weight, and upon opening the door, I was greeted with Erwin sitting at the table, looking over some documents. Percy bounded around him, burdened with exhaustion, as he cleaned the entire cabin by himself. 

"Sorry to interrupt," I said, suddenly self-conscious as both pairs of eyes flew towards me, "but I wanted to borrow Percy for a moment." 

Percy's expression instantly lit up, and all previous traces of weariness disappeared from his slumped posture. 

Erwin closed his eyes in thought, before giving a sigh. "Very well. Don't be long." 

The duster in Percy's hands dropped on the floor as he raced towards me, excitement trickling from every corner of his expression. Behind him, Erwin looked more than displeased. 

We headed towards the tool shed. 

"What's going on, (f/n)?" Percy asked, trying but failing to contain his delight. "Don't get me wrong- I'm more than happy you saved me from cleaning. I respect the Commander more than you know, but-" he looked around cautiously before lowering his voice to a whisper, "that man would not lift a single finger to help. It's like he thinks he's beyond menial labor." 

"Be thankful you'll only be here in the evenings, then." 

Percy held open the shed door for me as I ducked inside, fishing out a decently made longbow. 

"This should do the trick," I said with satisfaction, handing it to him. 

His eyes widened in shock. "Are we-? I mean, are you taking me to-?"

I gave him a little smile. "You said you wanted to learn, didn't you? Besides, I'm sure everyone would appreciate a hearty steak after all this."

Percy sported the widest grin, cradling the bow to his chest as though he deemed it precious. 

"Thank you," he mumbled. 

"Don't mention it. Now, follow my lead exactly, and stay quiet."

~ **(this part details a deer hunt. If you do not wish to read about this, skip to the next chapter!)**

We'd been tracking the same set of footprints for about fifteen minutes, the mud encircling the impressions becoming less dry as we drew closer to our target. 

"Herd looks at least a dozen strong," I whispered, marking the distinct prints with a finger. 

"How do you even know these are deer?" Percy knelt down beside me, eyeing the tracks uncertainly. 

"Hoof imprints are distinct from others, but deer are unique with this marking here." I pointed to the circular indents in the mud. "This is made by their dew claw. Now this print-" I gestured to a particular set of footprints, measuring the width with my pinky, "is about four and a quarter inch long. This is what we want to kill, likely being an adult doe." 

He nodded quietly and we continued along the path. I kept a wary eye for roots or twigs that would make sound and articulately placed my steps, Percy following right behind in my wake. 

Not ten minutes after, I caught glimpses of movement up ahead in the undergrowth, and halted Percy with my hand. The herd of deer grazed obliviously among the sprouting aspens, their brown hide shimmering in the faint light cast overhead. 

I gave Percy a knowing look, and he followed my movements as I drew back my bow. I angled it horizontally for steadier range and nodded for Percy to go ahead and take the shot, ensuring he was aiming for the appropriate target. She was a whitetail, looking to be about six years of age, and she wasn't aware of the crouching threat not ten feet away. 

Suddenly, Percy released his arrow, cutting through the air with a sharp whistle. The doe groaned in pain as it embedded itself in her abdomen, and as the rest of the herd bounded through the trees, she struggled after them before collapsing in the dirt. 

Percy raced to her triumphantly, only to stop short when he realized she was still alive, writhing in agony. He hesitated above her, eyes wide as he watched her torment. 

I rushed to his side, pulling a knife from my belt. Kneeling down before the doe, I buried the blade deep in her skull, causing her to stiffen instantly.

I looked up to Percy with boiling anger. "What the fuck was that?" I spat, standing to bore my eyes into his levelly.

He backed away timidly. "I-I don't know, I just-"

"If you dare pick up a bow, you do so knowing full well there will be no hesitation in killing them quickly; they spare their lives for our benefit and so we spare them of suffering."

Percy looked away in shame, and I suddenly felt my anger subside. 

"I'm sorry," I whispered, putting a hand on his shoulder. "For a moment, I forgot that this was a learning experience for you. Forgive me?"

He brought a hand up to mine and squeezed, giving me a slight smile. "No worries, (f/n). I made a mistake."

I removed the arrow and handed it back to him. "Give me your hand."

Percy looked at me questioningly but knelt down beside me, slotting his arrow in his quiver and putting his other hand in mine. I placed it over the doe's hide, and we sat there together, feeling the fading warmth of the creature whose sacrifice would come to feed multitudes. 

"In my village, we hunted out of necessity, and it became a ritual for us, for me. It's not focused simply on the kill but about living off the land in unity. When our people died, we buried their bodies in the grove, their corpses feeding the trees, the trees feeding the world. We took life to harbor our own."

Percy looked at me, his green eyes shining in the dark. 

"Thank you for teaching me," he said.

"The world is getting smaller," I mumbled, looking past him. I couldn't see the walls beyond the overarching trees, but I knew they were there, surrounding us from afar. "It's a privilege to teach this to someone, knowing they may very well need the knowledge in the future." 

☾ ☾ ☾


	28. A Late Dinner

Levi's POV: 

I stepped out into the living room having finished cleaning the bedchambers, only to be met with Hange snoring lightly as she slumped over the water bucket. It must've been nearly three in the morning, and everyone was exhausted. 

A great sense of relief washed over me as I looked around the cabin, now meticulously spotless. The surrounding wood glimmered under the flickering light from the hanging lanterns, shadows dancing across the dark chestnut walls. Without the choking layer of dust, the place looked good- livable, at least, for the few weeks we'd be stuck out here. 

My eyes shot back to the dozing squad leader. "Hange, wake up." 

She snored louder in response. 

"We're done," I muttered, to which she drowsily raised her head, looking around in a droopy smile. 

"Oh, great." 

She yawned and slowly stood up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, before she suddenly froze in place. 

"You smell that?" she asked, sniffing the air. "It smells like..."

Before I could respond, Hange's eyes widened and she raced out the front door. I reluctantly followed, my sleepiness causing me to feel more irate than usual. 

Once outside, I noticed everyone cautiously stepping out onto their porches, drawn towards the hickory scent of grilling meat. It wafted through the air, accented with oregano and other spices, and reminded me of my latent hunger.

(f/n) and Percy sat in the center by the fire pit. Percy turned over slabs of red steak above the flames while (f/n) perched on the log beside him, restringing her bow. 

Hange was the first to approach them ecstatically, with members of my squad close behind. From where he stood in front of his cabin, Erwin gave me an amused look before the both of us went and joined the gathering. 

~ 

"This is unbelievable." Petra chewed slowly, eyeing her plate as though the steak was encrusted in diamonds . Her eyes shimmered and looked on the verge of tears. 

In fact, looking around, I saw everyone frozen upon their first bite, their expressions twisted in utter shock. _What's the matter with them? It's just steak._

I narrowed my eyes at their exaggeration and cut off my first piece, hungrily noting the warm pink center. It seemed to be cooked perfectly to my taste. 

Biting off the piece on my fork, I chewed for a moment, letting the flavor caress my tongue. 

I felt my entire body stiffen and my eyes widen in surprise. The juiciness was accented with the cooked exterior, laden in spices. _This is the best thing I have ever tasted._

"Holy shit," I whispered, unaware I had spoken out loud. 

In response, Percy turned to me, a stupid smile spread along his face. "I'm glad you like it," he said, still smiling like an idiot. 

"Percy here was the one that hunted the deer, and the one that cooked the meats," (f/n) suddenly said, flashing him a warm expression. It almost looked like she was proud. 

"Yes, well." Percy shifted uncomfortably under her gaze. "You were the one that cut the portions. It was prepared by the both of us." 

(f/n) smiled, and Percy, upon seeing her do so, blushed profusely. I felt myself fuming after watching their exchange, but _dammit_ if the steak wasn't delicious, so bitterly, I shoved more forkfuls of meat into my mouth. 

~ 

Within minutes, everyone had finished their meals, and drowsiness began to return to the group. Oruo had his eyes narrowed grumpily as Petra and Gunther slumped against his shoulders, and (f/n)'s eyelids began to droop as she watched the dying fire. The flickering light danced along her skin and her (e/c) eyes glinted in the growing shade. 

She noticed my stare and we locked eyes. Her chin was resting in her palm, and behind her fingers, I thought I glimpsed a little smile. 

"Alright, then." Erwin's stern voice brought everyone back from their sleepy stupor. Petra groaned and Gunther sat upright instantly with a snort. 

"As it appears that we're finished with cleaning and have ended the night with a wonderfully prepared meal," he cast an appreciative look at Percy and (f/n), "it seems it's now time for bed." 

Everyone mumbled in agreement and began to stand, making for their cabins. Despite my exhaustion, I bristled seeing Percy help (f/n) up, a hand beneath her arm and another on her waist. _They've been acting a lot closer since their hunting trip,_ I thought coldly, deliberately ignoring them as I walked past. _It's no wonder she chose to keep our relationship ambiguous._

I felt like an idiot, pining and falling for her like we were back in grade school, while she strung others along like each one didn't mean more than the other. I may have been overreacting, but I couldn't deny my feelings for (f/n) anymore. It was torture watching others look at her the same way I did. 

I felt my anger reflected in each step I took towards the cabin. No longer would I go along with these childish games. If (f/n) wanted to be with me, she'd need to voice her commitment. I can't handle chasing after her in league with the rest of them- my affections are rarely won, and they certainly won't be received along with others. I wanted (f/n) to be mine. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

I was a little taken aback by Levi's sudden outrage as he stormed into our cabin, Hange slowly trailing behind like she was too tired to notice, or too tired to care. 

"Why do I get the feeling he doesn't like me?" Percy mumbled. 

I considered all the past times Levi grew angry seemingly out of the blue- it always occurred after moments where I grew close to others, like Eld, and Percy. I hadn't previously pegged him as the jealous type- I didn't think he cared about those kinds of things. 

"He probably doesn't like me either," I muttered, dreading my next interaction with the Captain. 

As I was about to step onto my porch, Percy took my hand. When I looked at him, he was smiling warmly. 

"Thank you," he said. He brought the back of my hand up to his lips, his blonde hair falling over his green eyes as he did so. 

I laughed, which only caused his expression to brighten. "For?" I asked. 

"For teaching me how to hunt." He turned to leave but cast one last look at me over his shoulder. "And, for being a friend." 

I watched him head back to his cabin. The hour was late, and yet, he had a bounce in his step. Many times, I found his excited demeanor childlike and comical. It always picked up my mood. 

I stepped into my lodge. A single candle was perched on the table, lighting up the living room. The place was completely silent save for my footsteps upon the wood, and my breathing echoed in the vacant hallway. 

There was a light on in Levi's room as it filtered out from beneath his door, but I knew better than to disturb him at this moment. Quietly, I pushed open the door to me and Hange's room to see her curled up on her bottom bunk. My bags lay on the opposite bed, and I retrieved an oversized night shirt and some toiletries to get myself cleaned up before going to sleep. 

Hesitantly stepping out into the hallway, the light from Levi's room still spilling onto the floorboards, I gently made my way to the bathroom. 

My reflection in the mirror made me freeze- I looked awful. My hair was messily coming apart from its bun, and I had streaks of mud along my face from the hunt, as well as spots of blood on my white shirt. Levi often said I looked like a wild animal, and his judgment was usually valid. I frequently looked like I had just been fished out from the woods. 

I settled for a quick, cold shower and dressed myself in the shirt. I decided to leave my hair down for the night and stood for a moment, admiring the girl that stared back at me through the glass. Her (e/c) eyes were like mine, striking in the flickering light, but she carried herself differently. No longer did she remind me of the sentry she once was, her temper as sharp as her sword, her fit entirely black. She looked tamer. 

It made me uneasy to think of myself as soft. Tearing my eyes away from my reflection, I grabbed my belongings and stepped out into the hallway. My head swam under the idea that living in this place was slowly changing me in a way I didn't exactly desire. 

I closed my eyes and rested the back of my head against the bathroom door. 

"I am the Guardian of the Cordillera," I whispered to myself. 

"You're not wearing any pants." 

I snapped my head to the left, looking up into his piercing grey eyes. His gaze was still covered in lingering traces of anger. 

He leaned against his doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. His narrow eyes assessed me entirely, and I felt naked under his steel glare, especially when he looked at my bare skin. 

"We need to talk, (f/n)." 

_Yikes._

☾ ☾ ☾


	29. Electricity

Levi's POV: 

I sat on the edge of the bed, elbows resting on my knees as I watched (f/n) sit on the bunk opposite me. Despite struggling to pull her shirt further down her legs, she looked at me with such confidence and surety I doubted our current dynamic. 

"What can I do for you?" She settled on crossing her legs, boring into my mind with her steady eyes. 

I felt my anger invigorate at her words and stale expression. Was this some kind of defense mechanism? There were moments when I was presented with something tender inside of her, but those brief experiences were largely overshadowed by her emotionless and cold exterior. Our personalities clashed together inharmoniously, and it became more evident as each second passed with the both of us glaring at the other. 

"I'm tired of your shitty attitude," I muttered. 

"That makes the two of us. Care to explain what got into you tonight?" She didn't hesitate at all, and I found myself caught off-guard by the question. 

At my continued silence, she pushed even further. "Were you jealous, Captain? Did seeing me get along with Percy make you upset?" 

I felt my gut curl in growing anger and clenched my jaw. "Watch it, brat," I hissed. 

She didn't flinch. "You said we needed to talk, Levi. Get on with it." 

"You're fucking insufferable," I spat, feeling my shoulders tense. "Is this all just a game to you?" 

(f/n) softened a bit, confusion trickling into her gaze. "What are you talking about?" 

"You string me along like I'm no more important than the rest of them, and yet, I stupidly take it upon myself to follow you, to give a damn." 

Her once casual demeanor sparked with fire, and her calm eyes rocked under the tides of growing anger. "No more important than the rest of them?" she repeated lowly. "You're the only reason why I'm here, why I came back in the first place." 

"You do little to show it." 

"What is this really about, Levi?" Her eyes looked into mine accusingly. "We both know we're similar in our temperament. You'd have to be intentionally ignorant to think I don't show you my affection." 

I considered asking her, but the idea of appearing vulnerable while she sat there, eyes boring into mine, made me uneasy. "Forget it," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "You're more trouble than you're worth. Let's go back to where we were before all this shit started." 

I thought I caught a glimpse of hurt in her eyes, but she quickly shrugged it off. 

"Very well," she said coldly. She stood and made for the door without casting me a second glance.

As she left my mind was plagued with thoughts of her smile, her laughter, the way she looked at me- I was reminded of how she made me feel, and it wasn't something I was ready to let go. The idea of losing her entirely caused my chest to sink. Despite how easily she got under my skin, there was no one else that set ablaze my heart and mind like she did. Her eyes entranced every fiber in me, and her touch sent electricity to surge along my skin. 

"Wait." The word came out without my meaning it to. 

She froze in place, hand on the doorknob, but didn't turn back to look at me. I stood and stepped towards her hesitantly, eyes locked in the curls of her hair and the curvature of her neck. 

"Don't leave just yet," I said quietly. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

I turned around bitterly, meeting his cool grey eyes as they looked down into my own. His expression had softened, but I didn't return it. He chose this. 

"What more could you want?" I snapped. 

Levi's face didn't change- he still looked at me, eyes flickering to each of my features. There was a sense of longing curling around his gaze, and I couldn't help but feel taken aback by his sudden portrayal of emotion. He looked wrought with them as he assessed me. 

I grew tired of his mental charades as he danced between different sentiments. I knew it wasn't easy to make sense of internal thoughts, but he made it excruciatingly difficult- not just for himself, but for everyone around him. 

"I'm sick of this," I muttered, turning back to the door. "It's late, and we both need to-" 

I was immediately silenced as a hand suddenly pushed the door shut, and following the outstretched arm, I found myself feeling small as I looked up into steel-cast eyes. Levi had moved closer to me to the point where I felt the heat from his body against my own. I was tempted to fall into his embrace, but I stayed firm, trying my best to appear nonchalant as he stared into my soul. 

"No more being subtle," he said at last, his quiet voice seeming loud as his face slowly drew in closer, "and no more bullshit. I want you to be mine, (f/n)." 

I felt my heart flutter in my chest as I finally gave him a little smile. He had taken an agonizingly long time to tell me honestly, but despite his internal conflictions sending my own thoughts into a whirlwind, I'd be damned if I didn't want him, too.

"Why didn't you just say so?" I whispered, before diving in, pressing myself up against him in a passionate kiss. 

☾ ☾ ☾

Second POV: **(this coming scene will depict soft intimacy- skip to the next bolded line if you don't wish to read it)**

Levi pushed you up against the door, his free hand tightly gripped around your waist as your tongues entangled in fiery desire. All previous traces of drowsiness were lost as the both of you were locked together in your fervor. 

He broke the kiss and caressed the skin of your jaw with his lips, before moving down to your neck. A soft moan escaped you as you felt him gently kissing the sensitive spot near your collarbone, and as you ran your fingers through his raven hair, you pulled him in closer to deepen the sensation. 

Levi's hands started moving up your shirt, his fingers brushing against your bare skin sending shockwaves along your body. 

He pulled away, and you couldn't help but feel frustrated at the sudden loss of his physical affection. 

"What do you want, (f/n)?" he asked, grey eyes rimmed with desire as he looked into yours. 

You reached up and tugged at the collar of his shirt, which only caused his steel gaze to flare with invigorated hunger. 

"I want you," you whispered. 

His sterling smile, so seldomly seen, caused your head to spin. Levi leaned in and gave you another kiss, this time tender and gentle, before he promptly lifted you up in his arms and carried you to the bed.

~ 

He watched you undress, eyes never faltering from grazing along your bared skin. When the last of your clothing fell to the floor, you heard his breath catch as he saw you like he never did before. 

While you weren't self-conscious, your confidence radiating from your posture, you didn't know he looked at you with his mind in disarray- he was entranced by your curves, by the wild light in your eye. You were the most beautiful he'd ever seen, and for the first time in a long while, Levi was speechless as you stood before him. 

He stood and approached you, beginning to unbutton his dress shirt before you stopped him with your hand. You traced your fingers along his arms and shoulders, his breathing heavy with anticipation as it passed by your ear. 

You slowly freed him from his uniform, and as you looked at Levi, unclad and exposed, your mind and body fizzled with electricity. He was leanly built whilst musculature rippled down the length of his body, and the sight caused a crackle of excitement to pulse through you. 

He gave a little laugh, and it was the first time you'd heard him do so. It echoed in your head, a captivating serenade that caused a fire to flare in your chest.

"There's a storm in your eyes," he said. "I can see flashes of lightning." 

At his words you turned away, heat rushing into your cheeks at the prospect of having such a tell in your emotions, only for him to put a thumb beneath your chin and pull your eyes back under his. 

"Don't hide it." Levi's grey eyes looked deep into yours. "I like the spark I cause in you."

He melted at your warm smile. You kissed him again, this time your bodies intertwined without the confines of cloth in between- you felt his hands upon your skin, your curves cherished under his embrace. 

"Ignite it further," you said, pulling him with you towards the bed.

~ 

Levi traversed the ridges and valleys along your frame, exploring every inch of you as though he'd been starved of it. His black hair hung over his shimmering eyes as he lay above you, your legs wrapped tightly around his waist. He conjured furls of pleasure to cascade down your spine; the sounds he made became a tune your body danced to. 

You switched the roles, turning him onto his back, and as you sat above him, he looked up to you with a frenzied light passing in his eye. While you were devoured by the sensations he inflicted, he gazed at you thoughtfully, enchanted by your expressions of pleasure, the movements of your hips. Being inside you sent waves of rapture spreading throughout his bones, his mind, and he dug his fingers into your skin to brace against the tides. 

As the pirouette of your intertwined bodies drew to its close, Levi brought a hand up to your shoulders, trailing it further up your neck until you held his grey eyes under your own. They looked to you affectionately, the curls of passion encircling his irises captivating every fiber in your being. 

His breathing deepened, and you felt fizzles of electricity passing from the base of your spine up into your skull. You were both swept under the surmounting peak of pleasure. Levi watched the lightning crackling in your eyes, feeling the same current pass over his skin. 

As the wave subsided, leaving you both with your breathing heavy and your eyes wild, you leaned in another time, kissing him softly. You felt him smile against your lips, his hands running up to caress the center of your back. 

**(end of scene- wow, I'm so sorry if that was cheesy as hell, I've never written something like that before)**

You shifted off of him and moved to gather your clothes, only to be met once again with his familiar 'tch'. 

"What do you think you're doing?" he muttered, propping himself up on one elbow. 

"Getting dressed so I can go back to my room." 

"You're doing neither of those things."

Levi pulled you back towards him, pressing you against his chest with his arms wrapped around. "Stay the night with me," he whispered, exhaustion beginning to creep into his voice.

You felt another smile tug at your lips- though you'd seen him soften before, this was an entirely different shade of Levi Ackerman. 

You placed a little kiss on his cheeks, his eyes starting to pull closed.

"Whatever you say, Levi." 

☾ ☾ ☾


	30. The Start of Training

Levi's POV:

The warmth of sunlit rays, filtering through the curtains and grazing along my cheeks, caused me to slowly awaken. The room glowed in a brighter hue than it would've in the early morning; from the emanating silence around, it appeared everyone had taken it upon themselves to sleep in later than usual. 

I looked down at (f/n), still sleeping soundly by my side; her nose was buried in the blankets, her (h/c) hair tousled along the sides of her face. The thoughts of what occurred last night raced through my mind, and I felt the heat rush into my cheeks. I didn't want to admit to anyone, including myself, that I had grown to be so fond of someone in this way- but as I listened to her faint breathing, reminded of the feel of her skin on mine, a warm sense of devotion spread from my chest.

I heard the sudden sprinting of footsteps in the hallway, and Hange burst through the bedroom door, her eyes wide and frantic. "Levi, I can't find-"

She slumped her shoulders as she flicked her eyes from the pile of clothes on the ground to (f/n) lying next to me, and then to my hot glare. 

"Um... ha, well... I guess that answers everything," she stammered, her agitating voice causing (f/n) to stir. "So, um... do you-"

"Get out."

"Right."

Hange turned on her heels and left the room swiftly, ensuring she shut the door behind her. I thought I heard her irritating giggle echo down the halls as she stepped away into the living room.

(f/n) began to shift and her eyes slowly flickered open. She looked at me lazily- her (e/c) gaze were rimmed with the cloudy wafts of fading dream, but as she took notice of mine, a bright, awakening sense of endearment spread along her expression. She kissed me briskly on the cheek before sitting up and stretching away the last remnants of sleep. I watched the sunlight trickle along the ridges of her spine, strings of muscle moving beneath her skin.

Her posture suddenly stiffened as I could only assume she thought about what took place the night prior; she awkwardly covered herself with the bedsheets.

"So," she started tentatively, running her fingers through her hair, "what now?"

I sat across from her, our eyes level. She fidgeted with uncertainty, her darting eyes reflective of her discomfort. (f/n) didn't possess the usual confidence she exuded, making all around her feel lesser in comparison- our recent intimacy left her doubtful. 

"Tch, you're not too good with this, are you?" I muttered. 

"I feel that our recent dalliance only makes current worries more concerning for the two of us," she mumbled, adjusting the sheets further up her chest. 

"Is that what that was to you- a dalliance?"

"No." (f/n) looked at me steadily now, her expression hardening to one that was unreadable. "It's exactly that which frightens me, if I'm being honest. I'm finding myself feeling a stronger sense of commitment to you, whether or not you return the same sentiment, and I worry about how that will make difficult coming strife."

I hesitated. She voiced the same concerns that passed through my mind, but denial and ignorance would do nothing to alleviate the tension. 

"And how do you know strife comes at all?"

"I can feel it in my bones." Her eyes were unwavering. "Something this way comes- some terrible and unimaginable calamity that stripped Oliver of his will, his person, his mind. I cannot lose you."

"You won't lose me, (f/n). I can take care of myself."

"You nearly died to the same person who shivers at the mention of this terror, this 'Charon'."

"Tch, that's why we're here, isn't it? So you can train us to better prepare-"

"I cannot lose you." Her voice detonated in her throat, reverberating off the walls, and her eyes were aglow in flame. "I keep myself from mentioning the names of those I lost, of the corpses I used to live with. To speak of what atrocities occurred on that hilltop nearly shatters my resolve each time. I hate myself for bonding so closely with another during this perilous moment, but it's too late for regrets, now. You do not understand when I tell you I cannot lose you."

Despite (f/n)'s volley of aggression and emotion, evaporating from her very skin like steam, I leaned forward and held her. She tensed from her surprise.

"I understand," I said slowly, keeping my eyes strained on the opposite wall, my arms tightly wound around her shoulders. "I understand more than most the pain their memory brings, the night terrors that wrack my sleep. Don't think I do not feel the weight of the dead."

She pulled away from my grip with a softened expression. "I'm terrified," she whispered. "I don't want to face this blight alone."

"You won't be."

~

I bore a slight headache under burdening thoughts, but regardless, I got dressed and followed Levi out into the living quarters. Hange had prepared an easy breakfast of bread and tea on the table, watching us sit with amused eyes.

"I'm glad you're getting along so well here, (f/n)." Hange's lips curled in a small smile. 

Levi said nothing, but he looked bitterly annoyed as he gripped his teacup by the rims.

"Hange," I started, trying to keep my composure, "I think it's safe for me to speak for the both of us when I say we'd prefer it if-"

Hange shook her head, her smile growing genuine. "Please, (f/n). I'm talkative when it comes to science or bouts of knowledge or practically anything of marked interest, but I maintain discrepancy with things like this. Neither of you have to worry about me going around telling the world you two have become more than just... well, whatever you were before. Besides," she leaned back and started to break apart her roll, "I think the two of you go well together. You both glare a lot, get angry easily, tend to look disinterested and dead inside all the time, but that all changes when you stare at each other."

She narrowed her eyes at the both of us, me still trying my best to look neutral and Levi casting her a nasty side-eye. "Don't think nobody's noticed," she scoffed.

"Well, thank you," I said. Her expression brightened a bit, and I found myself returning the sentiment with a little smile. I felt that me and Hange had gotten off on the wrong foot- she wasn't as obnoxious as I originally pegged. 

"How does Erwin feel about all this?" Levi suddenly asked, his gaze stiffly unreadable.

Hange gave a sigh. "You know the answer to that, Levi. He's uncomfortable with his best soldier letting down his guard."

Levi grunted and turned away, his attention focused entirely on his tea. I couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt at the conflict I've seemed to cause, but I attempted to shift the subject, nonetheless. 

"What's the schedule like?" I asked Hange, finally paying mind to my food. The bread was dry, but the tea was good.

"You'll be training during the day, and keep in mind the purpose is to teach the rest of us how to best combat people with your abilities, so we'll be testing you for weaknesses. During the evenings, you'll be with me- I'll be looking at your abilities through a more... experimental approach."

"I see."

I considered the prospect of learning more about my capabilities the next coming days and hastily finished what remained of my breakfast, Hange and Levi both eyeing me strangely. "What are we waiting for?" I said, mouth still partially full. "Let's get started."

I briskly made for the door. Behind me, Hange stuffed her roll in her mouth and Levi quickly downed his tea in order to catch up. 

~

There was a clearing behind the lodges, bordered with towering maples. I sat in the middle of the field with everyone gathered timidly around. Percy had left in the early morning to relay messages back to headquarters, and in that moment, I truly missed him. His support, which usually leaked from every aspect of his expression, would've been welcome among the cautious faces now looking down at me.

"You want us to... what?" Eld stammered, looking warily from me to Erwin.

"I want you to use everything you've got," Erwin stated again, his stern eyes unrelenting. "Do whatever it takes. Combat (f/n) without any hesitation or regard for her safety. Her abilities, as we know of, puts her beyond the scope of all of us."

"But Commander." Petra anxiously eyed her blades. "If we make contact with these-"

"It's alright, Petra." I gave Levi's squad members a half smile. "I'll be on the defensive, so it'll be easier to predict your moves, remember?"

She smiled in return, but her eyes still resonated with worry, mimicking the glances I received from the others. Levi leaned against the bark of a young maple- he appeared careless, but his gaze never lifted off of me. Hange stood close by him, a notepad in hand, her scrutinizing eyes prepared to take note of anything interesting. 

I took a breath to compose myself in that field as Levi's squad members cautiously approached me, their eyes wavering and their grip shaking. 

Slowly I stood and dusted off my clothes. "Alright, then." I narrowed my eyes, feeling my expression sink under growing focus. "Let's get on with it."

Oluo was the first to leap forward, his blades angled along his jaw to slash at my side; I easily deflected his blows with a wave of titanium plating, knocking him on his back.

As though they were encouraged by their teammate's initiation, the rest of them lunged forth, and I met each of their blades with a flurry of conjured metal. The clearing rang under the melody of our combat, the wind sighing along with our heavy breaths. They moved quickly, silently communicating with one another as they assessed my movements and posture for any openings. They were highly skilled as a unit, but my abilities far surpassed their strength in combat, and gradually, I took notice of their apparent exhaustion- sweat trickled along their brows, and their techniques became riddled in desperation. 

We trained relentlessly for what seemed like hours, the sun rising along the sky as though it sought a better position to watch us from. I felt my muscles grow strained under my continuous movements and sweat began to bead along my skin, but regardless, the fire that spurred my focus and determination continued to roil in the pit of my person, kindled each time they came at me again with their blades drawn. I wouldn't be the first to tire.

There was a shift in the air- a trickling chill that creeped up my spine. They began to suddenly grow reserved with their movements, prodding me less enthusiastically for weaknesses. 

Behind me came a light step, and a crunch, and I swiveled around, my arm submerged in a sharpened encasing of silver-plating that met Erwin's weapon with a striking clang.

We stood interlocked in this position for a tense moment. I noticed in my peripheral Levi's squad members approaching my exposed hind, but I knocked them on their backs with a wave of my free hand. His blue eyes glowed as they bore into mine.

"Looks like you didn't find any weaknesses," I said, watching the amusement filtering into his once stern eyes. 

"I will."

He drew back his sword as the sheath around my arm dissipated. "We'll take a short break," he announced. "We'll do the same thing when we return." He gave me one last look before heading back towards Hange and Levi.

I sat back down upon the earth, stretching my legs and looking up to the overarching sky. The sound of approaching footsteps brought down my gaze, and I saw Petra coming my way with a cup of water in hand.

"Thought you'd appreciate something to drink," she said, handing me the cup and sitting down beside me.

"I do- thank you." I downed it all desperately, feeling the cool liquid diffuse throughout my stomach. 

We sat quietly for a while, watching the surrounding trees and the other members speaking amongst themselves. Hange was busy scribbling her notes while Erwin spoke to her and Levi- he looked to me a few times, and I noticed his expression growing more and more disinterested as Hange and Erwin exchanged their thoughts.

"You don't need to feel afraid about getting close to us," Petra suddenly said, her kind expression always catching me off-guard.

"What do you mean?"

"It's not difficult to tell that you've been restrained, hesitant to grow attached." She cradled her knees in her arms, looking at me with a smile. "We all really like you, you know. You're a lot like Levi."

"People keep saying that, but I don't exactly know how to take it."

She laughed. "It's not a bad thing- all of us look up to him because of his resolve and strength in combat and in his character. He's a figure to follow when everything else falls apart, someone you can turn to and trust, if nothing else. He gives us hope."

I looked away, feeling doubt along the fringes of my thoughts. "I can't believe you're comparing me to someone you think of so highly," I mumbled.

Petra put a hand on my arm, causing me to reluctantly meet her gaze. "You're strong, confident, unwavering." She gave a slight chuckle. "At least, when it doesn't come to getting close with others. And more than that, you came back for us."

"And now you'll all be dragged into a war that wouldn't have concerned you."

"We'll gladly go into it."

"Why are you people so eager to throw yourselves at this coming danger?" I snapped, my own internal conflicts unconsciously causing my voice to rise.

"What else are friends for?"

I froze- I had no response. Usually, I prided myself in feeling independent and indifferent to those around me in the walls, but as I remained here and lived among them longer, I saw the faces of those I lost upon theirs. It terrified me to no end that I was growing attached to these people, and yet, I couldn't deny the intense bouts of worry that distressed me when I considered Charon. There was an ever-growing possibility I'd awake to see him wreathing the land in flames, again.

And yet, here Petra sat, looking to me with care akin to what I saw on the faces of my family. 

_There's nothing to be gained from wallowing in anxiety. What's done is done- all I can do is train alongside them, and should they remain persistent, to face this calamity with them at my side._

I squeezed her hand and gave her a smile. "You're all going to have to get a lot better if it comes to that."

Her expression lit up. "Get ready, then! We were only going easy on you. This time, we're gunning for some scratches."

~

We trained until the sun dipped behind the tree line, settling for a hasty lunch put together with the leftover meat from the night prior. The weariness born of the physical toil began to settle deeply in all of us, slowing our movements. 

Progress, if any was marked enough to call it that, was slow. At one point Gunther came at me from the side while I was engaged with Oluo, and while I fended off his attack, my reaction was too slow and caused me to trip. Petra's word was true as the fall had scraped my knee, but Gunther's faceplant was too comical for us to maintain focus, and our laughing kept them from pushing against my first and only opening. 

"What a tiring day," Oluo mumbled when our session had finally ended, stifling a yawn. Darkness began to creep forth from beneath the trees, draping the grasslands in deepening shadow.

"Only one solution to that," Eld quipped, gesturing for us all to follow. "Let's go back to the cabin and unwind a bit. (f/n), you're coming with."

I started walking back towards the lodges beside them when a certain chipper voice caused me to come to a halt. "Hullo, (f/n)! Don't forget about our nightly arrangements!" 

Hange approached us with a skip in her step and a wild light in her eyes that made me uncomfortable. She almost looked mad.

Eld shot her a look of disdain. "Hange, it's getting late, and we're all tired. Let us just have this moment."

She directed her half-crazed eyes to him. "Relax, blondie. I won't take too long tonight- just going to ask the lovely (f/n) here some questions about her abilities."

Gunther scoffed, patting me on the shoulder sympathetically. "Good luck."

☾ ☾ ☾

Hange's POV:

We went back to our cabin and sat at the table, (f/n) lazily drinking her tea and eyeing me. She was always appeared so indifferent, so quiet- I could never tell what she was thinking. It always got me excited when I considered what memories and thoughts raced behind those narrowed (e/c) eyes. And to think, I finally was given the opportunity to press her for that honey-laden information. 

I tried hard to contain my elation. It was difficult. _Maybe easing into it softly would be best._

"How are you doing today, (f/n)?"

Her expression softened at my gentle initiation. "I'm feeling a bit worn out, but I-"

"Do you ever create anything besides metal in combat?" Fingers of distaste spread along her irises, but I couldn't help myself. "I noticed on the field today and a few days prior you and that... what was his name?"

"Grim."

"Grim- interesting name- only conjure metal while engaged in violence. Why is that?"

She took a slow drink from her cup, her eyes twinkling when watching me suffer from the prolonged silence. I was practically at the edge of my seat. 

(f/n) set it down, crossed her fingers, and gave me a snarky smile. "We didn't exactly experiment with our abilities outside of metal-casting."

"Why ever not?"

"The elders told us it was a curse, that the connective triad was shackled upon our wrists like chains and using it freely would be ignorant of those of us that died, those that killed them. Metal-casting was learned only under the prospect that dire situations could come upon us."

"Do you think lack of training contributed to your people being killed?"

 _Too far._ (f/n) tensed and her lips pursed- a storm brewed in her eyes. 

"I'm sorry, that was phrased improperly- do you see your abilities as a curse?"

"I'm not sure." She took a breath to compose herself. "But what does it matter how I see it? I'm stuck with them regardless. I guess all I can be sure of is I use them for good, or what I think is good."

"So, is it safe to say you don't know the extent of your capabilities?"

"I'd say so."

"As far as you know, what are they?"

"To manipulate surrounding matter either in creation or adding to existing material."

"You're unable to directly manipulate exiting material?"

"No, I can't."

"How do you know?"

(f/n) was silent- she had no answer. I took a minute to scribble down some notes when a thought occurred to me. "How do you channel this ability?"

"Meditation, almost."

"What does it feel like when you control encompassing molecules?"

She thought for a moment, her fingers idly twisting in her hands. "It's almost like I have a sense of my conscious mind," she started slowly, still collecting appropriate strings of words. "And I can feel it like an energy in my head, and when I meditate, I focus on spreading its scope to where it brushes against free-floating atoms."

"And what does that feel like, when you touch these atoms?"

"Given how much there are in any given space, it all coalesces into this surmounting wave. It almost feels like a trillion pins pressing gently on your skin, only it's not on my skin- it's on my expanding conscience."

My head swam under a thousand prospects that came to mind, ideas on how to harness her abilities, further them, and use them to hinder another person's triad, should we come to face Grim again, or worse. 

"Thank you, (f/n)." I took a moment from taking notes to hold her hand. "Thank you. I need to talk to Erwin and Levi back in the main cabin- go and spend the rest of your evening with your friends. Percy should be back soon, as well."

She gave me a little smile, the most genuine I've seen her give me. _Appreciation goes a longer way than pure necessity,_ I remember her saying. It seemed to be true. 

☾ ☾ ☾

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still going to be updating as often as I can, but I think from now on I'll be making the chapters longer. It's also midterm season, so updates may not be as frequent as they were- please be patient with me!


	31. Sake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big fat thank you to all the readers who have gotten this far in- can't even begin to describe how appreciative I am <3 
> 
> I'll be sticking to a schedule of posting on Mondays at noon (MST), and will note if the schedule makes any changes in the future!

Levi's POV: 

When the training session had ended, I followed Erwin back to his lodging, seeing (f/n) getting along well with my squad members as I passed. The wind carried fragments of her voice, her laughter- as the days fleeted by, I took notice of her growing attachment to us all. She no longer was the cold person we found beyond the walls, looking down at us all like we were lesser. She slowly started to smile, to look at us like we were more than strangers. 

A warm bud sprouted in my chest as I thought back to last night, to what stirred in me as I felt her skin in the dark. The world was harsh and sought to tear at the bonds I created with others; I never took a fancy towards these kinds of relations. The risk outweighed the benefit. 

But she was different. As the people in the walls looked to me for surety, I found it in her- the fire in her eyes could set the world aflame. She was powerful, her footing steadfast as the mountains, her resolve ironclad against towering odds. 

And yet, being graced with her mind beneath its outward ridges, seeing her in kindness and in fear alike, I became more entranced in the gentle rivers that lay beyond the rapids. She drove me to expose my own voice, softer than the hardened tone I spoke with to others. With her beside, I slept more soundly than I had in years. 

I hated my thoughts. I could not deny them, but the unfamiliarity caused a slight of discomfort. Even I had begun to believe I did not bear this tender shade beneath. 

I forced my eyes away from (f/n) and walked silently by Erwin. He had requested the two of us come together and talk, probably because we haven't in a while. At least, it's been a while since the conversations were anything other than tense.

~ 

We sat by the window, Erwin sitting quietly as he considered how to begin the conversation. He seemed conflicted. 

"It pains me that a girl has caused a growing rift between the two of us," he said much too calmly. "I understand that coming to have differing views on the situation leads to this tension, but I'd very much like to resolve it, if we can." 

"Tch, you sound like a parent." 

"I suppose that's because you can act like a stubborn teenager," Erwin quipped, a smile tugging on his lips when I shot him a glare. "I only worry for your wellbeing, Levi, and the consequences that could arise from your lack of caution." 

"I think I deserve at least an ounce of your trust," I spat, feeling the first strings of anger curl around in my gut. 

"And you have it completely. But," Erwin raised a hand as I shifted to speak further, "we both know your opinions on (f/n) are largely deluded by your growing affections." 

"'Deluded' isn't very fair, Erwin." I tried my hardest to contain my expression and meet his gaze coolly. "I do not fall for first impressions. They mean little to me. My affections," just saying the word caused me to stiffen, "grow from seeing who she is beneath it all- beneath what she shows to strangers, to you." 

Erwin hesitated, and his blue eyes showed guilt upon the fringes. "Perhaps it is instead my worries that have clouded my perceptions," he admitted quietly. "I haven't spent the amount of time with (f/n) that, in hindsight, I should've. My fears surrounding her abilities and what haunts her footsteps, inevitably now haunting our own, terrorizes my thoughts. 

"More than this, it frightens me how close you've grown to her, Levi. Your recent temperament is just one more unfamiliarity that piles upon the rest." 

"Tch. I think I'm more than capable to remain professional despite it all." 

"It's not your professionalism that's in question." His expression became unreadable as he assessed me. "You surround her, both in person and in the eyes. You've let down your guard with her." 

"That's because for once, I don't feel like she's someone I'd lose, despite the danger surrounding us on all sides." 

"Her strength is somewhat contagious," Erwin agreed. "But how can you be sure she isn't dangerous herself?" 

I didn't respond. I _knew_ she wasn't a threat to us, but how could I say that without sounding like a complete idiot? 

"You've fallen in love with her, haven't you?" 

I felt my eyes widen, and my lips parted under shock from the sudden question. I turned away to hide what I could from Erwin's prying gaze. "Tch, who asks shit like that?" 

Thankfully, the door to the cabin swung open before Erwin could continue, and Hange raced to us, eyes brimmed in excitement. 

"I've talked with (f/n)," she said, exasperated from running. "And, I have a few ideas I'd like to share." 

I muttered under my breath irritatedly as she sat in the seat beside me, ruffling through pages of notes hastily written. Erwin's gaze shifted to her curiously, his fingers clasped before his lips in his usual show of interest. 

"The most striking thing we were unaware of previously is how little (f/n) herself knows about her abilities," Hange started, seemingly pleased with the page she decided to settle on. "She mentioned how the elders in her village discouraged usage of this 'triad' outside of metal-casting, and even that was only taught in preparation for possible conflict. This ability was never embraced among her people- they had rather negative connotations for it." 

"What's this all supposed to mean, Hange?" I pressed bitterly. 

"Think about it, Shorty!" she exclaimed much too loudly. "If (f/n) doesn't truly know what she's capable of, everything she's told us thus far- about her not being able to manipulate existing matter created either by nature or another's triad, specifically- aren't proven by any means. For all we know, her powers far exceed what we've seen previously, and if we can train her to use this connective triad to its extent, she'd be able to stand against all her enemies. Hell, she might even be able to rid the lands of titans entirely!" 

"Let's not get too ahead of ourselves," Erwin cautioned. "Levi has mentioned earlier in the day the levels of metal-casting (f/n)'s people ranked towards. Our primary focus should still be aiding her in her progress along these levels, as well as finding any weaknesses we could use to our advantage should we face people like her again." 

"But Erwin, while I do not disagree with our current efforts, I strongly suggest we incorporate more areas of focus." 

"Like?" 

Hange's eyes glistened in the candlelight. "I've only considered this sparingly," she said, pushing her glasses further up her nose as she returned to scouring her notes. "But she also mentioned a field of consciousness that stems from her mind when she harnesses this ability- it's how she reaches towards and gains controls over surrounding matter. What if the scope of her consciousness could be expanded? More than this, what if she could tap into the molecules currently inhabiting another person's triad? And there's of course the overarching possibility of (f/n) being able to manipulate what she didn't create. The possibilities are endless!" 

Erwin sat deep in thought, his brow furrowed under the information Hange just regurgitated on the both of us. 

"Let me handle the tactics," she continued, sensing Erwin's hesitation. "All I ask is we change the current schedule. A few hours a night is too little for the things I've got planned- give me every other day to spend with (f/n)." 

Erwin nodded. "I see the merit in that, but my consent isn't the only one you require. Be sure to ask (f/n) later in the evening, and if she agrees, you can start from tomorrow." 

Hange practically leapt from her chair. "Brilliant!" She began to gather her notes and head for the door, and as she did, she announced over her shoulder, "Oh, and there's one more thing I'd like to test later tonight. I'll be needing your help, Levi." 

"Great," I mumbled. I rested my chin in the palm of my hand, feeling my eyes droop under the remembrance of where me and Erwin's conversation had left off, and where it was undoubtedly about to begin once the door to the lodge pulled shut behind Hange. 

☾ ☾ ☾

(f/n)'s POV: 

After Hange raced out the cabin, I decided to take up on Eld's invitation and join them for tea. I had heard them talking loudly before even reaching their cabin, but it was after I opened their cabin door that I came to regret my decision. Eld and Petra were sitting on the couch watching Gunther and Oluo in the middle of the room... dancing? 

"It's all in the hips," Gunther remarked with a little flourish; Oluo struggled beside like a rag doll, his expression much too serious for the given situation. All four of them had a red tint in their cheeks. 

_They've been drinking._

I turned and tried my best to quietly leave the cabin when Eld's call caused me to stiffen. "Hey, (f/n)'s here!" 

"(f/n)! Sit next to me!" Petra sang, patting the spot next to her on the couch. 

I tried my best to contain my reluctance as I went and sat between them, watching Oluo and Gunther continue as though they didn't even notice my arrival. 

"We found these aged bottles of sake in the carts today," Eld mumbled, his words slightly slurred. "Let me get you some." 

"No, please, I'm alright. Have we got any tea?" 

"There's green in the cupboards," Petra said, her eyes focused on nothing in particular. 

Oluo, as if infuriated by my words, slipped out of his drunken, dancing trance. "Tea?" he exclaimed. "What are you, a g-" he hiccuped, "grandmother?" 

He stormed to the table and poured some sake into a spare cup. He must've disliked the idea of walking around it, because instead, he crawled onto the table in order to pass it to me, shoving it in my face as he balanced ungracefully. I grudgingly took it from his fingers, simply to get it out from under my nose. 

At that moment, the cabin door swung open, and Percy stood there, exhausted. His blonde hair was tousled, and he stood a bit awkwardly. "I've been riding all day," he said between breaths. 

"Can't feel your balls, can you?" Gunther said, still thrusting his hips. 

Percy suddenly straightened as he took in the strange sight- Petra stared into space, Eld grinned stupidly at nothing, Oluo perched on the tabletop, Gunther did whatever it was he called 'dancing', and I sat there, entirely uncomfortable. Oluo's hiccup was first thing that broke the silence. 

"What in the world is going on in here?" 

As if in response, Eld cried, "Sake!" 

"Sake?" Petra came out of her trance. 

Percy came over and took the cup from my hands, downing it entirely. "Not bad," he muttered, pouring another. "Move over, Petra." 

He shuffled between the both of us, drinking as though he truly couldn't feel his balls and desperately wanted to ease his discomfort. "You're not drinking any, (f/n)?" 

"I'm alright, thanks." 

Eld scoffed. "Suit yourself. You really are a lot like Le-" 

I grabbed the cup from Percy's grip and drained it entirely, shooting Eld a glare when I finished. It burned in my throat, the warmth spreading in the pit of my stomach- it also tasted absolutely disgusting, but I kept my expression neutral. "This is shit," I muttered, feeling the tang on my tongue. 

"It grows on you," Petra soothed. 

As I felt the alcohol spread its heated fingers along my gut, I remembered the time me and Oliver stole a cache of aged whiskey from my father's cabinet. Drinking was seldom seen in our village, occurring only during the celebrations that took place annually in the Spring, but we were teenagers. We scaled the mountains that night, sitting beneath the pale light of the moon, drinking ourselves silly. He told me he loved me for the first time then, as we huddled together from the biting cold. 

I winced at the memory. "Pour me another," I said to Percy, who happily obliged. 

~ 

"There's a waitress that worked the night shift at the local tavern," Oluo was saying wistfully. "It's her. She's my first love. Too bad she had to run off with some nobleman ten years my senior." 

"What was he, like sixty?" Percy asked. 

We erupted in laughter as Oluo gave Percy a stifling glare. "Tch, don't need some cadet telling me crap like that," he muttered, taking another sip of his cup. 

"Hey." Gunther looked at us like he'd lost the will to live. "We're out of sake," he whispered, holding up the empty bottle. 

"I'll go get another," I mumbled, hearing my words slur slightly. When I stood from my seat, I felt the world spin, and in my daze, Percy quickly stood to help me stabilize myself. _What a gentleman._

"I'll come with." 

We stepped out into the cool, evening breeze. I was entirely entranced by the stars glimmering overhead as Percy pulled me along to the carts. 

"Sake, sake, sake..." he mumbled quietly to himself as he perused through the assorted items. 

I reached in and grabbed the first thing I could find. "I got it," I muttered, turning back towards the cabin. 

"(f/n)?" 

"Huh?" 

When I looked at Percy, he was holding another bottle of sake, and when I looked down, I was holding a bag of rice. 

"Were you planning on fermenting it yourself?" 

We laughed at my expense, and I think we did so too loudly, because a grumpy voice came from behind us. 

"What the hell are you two doing?" 

I recognized it instantly and swiveled around to peer drunkenly into those steel eyes. 

"Oh, fuck me." Percy tensed as soon as he realized he had said those words out loud, and Levi glared at him as though his eyes alone could cause him to implode. 

"Come again, Lancer?" he seethed through clenched teeth. 

"So handsome," I breathed, wrapping my arms around Levi's neck. I was swaying slightly, a tipsy smile spread along my face, and Levi put his hands on my waist to balance me. 

His expression softened when he looked down at me, until his nose crinkled in disgust. "Have you been drinking?" he asked lowly. 

"(f/n)." Percy's eyes were wide in shock, and he looked genuinely afraid. "You're touching the Captain." 

He raced to my side, head bowed to Levi in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry," he said quickly, tripping over his words. "We found some sake, and-"

"You should come join us," I mumbled, tugging on his cravat. "Or maybe, just the two of us should go somewhere private." His grey eyes flared briefly with something primal. 

"Quit touching him like that," Percy hissed to me. "He's going to kill you."

As if Percy's words reminded him of how our interaction was being received, Levi suddenly pulled away, his face resuming his prior scowl. "I don't give two shits what you brats were doing," he snapped. "But (f/n) is coming with me."

He turned around swiftly, not sparing me or Percy a second look. I was still swaying in my drunken stupor, but Percy was absolutely mortified as he stood beside me, watching Levi's dwindling silhouette. 

"We're so screwed," he whispered, looking at me in shock. " _You're_ so screwed. What on earth were you thinking, touching the Captain like that?"

"Come off it," I retorted. "He'll loosen up, eventually."

"People have been saying that for years."

I think I tried to express a chuckle, but it came out as a weird snort. I reached into the cart to grab another bottle of sake, only this time it was a thing of crackers, and raced after the Captain. 

☾ ☾ ☾


End file.
